Thai-Style Cucumber Salad with Roasted Peanuts is healthy and fresh, with an added crunch from roasted nuts, a sure crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
SALAD:
- 2 English cucumbers, peeled & thinly sliced
- 1 medium jicama, peeled, cut into matchsticks
- 1 large carrot, peeled, grated or shredded
- 1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced
- ½ cup each freshly chopped mint & basil
- ¾ cup chopped roasted salted peanuts
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 head Napa cabbage, shredded (optional)
- toasted sesame seeds
- chopped mint & basil, for garnish
LIME DRESSING:
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Recipe
- Transfer the cucumbers to a large bowl and add the jicama, carrot, onion, red pepper, mint, basil, some of the peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds. Stir to combine. Season with freshly ground pepper, to taste.
- To make the dressing: Whisk the lime juice, nam pla, and brown sugar together in a small bowl. (The vegetables and dressing can be prepped a day in advance, as long as they are kept separately and stored in the refrigerator. Don’t add the sesame seeds until ready to serve.)
- To serve, pour the dressing over the cucumber salad and toss. In a large serving bowl, place the shredded Napa cabbage, if desired, then top with the cucumber salad. Sprinkle the top with more peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped mint and basil. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.
Source: Adapted from In a Nutshell, Cooking & Baking with Nuts & Seeds, by Cara Tannenbaum & Andrea Tutunjian. The original recipe calls for salting then squeezing the cucumber slices to release as much water as possible. This version removes that step, and adds Napa cabbage and toasted sesame seeds.
