Hot Spicy Sichuan Style Cucumber Salad

After having tasted this dish at Restaurant Xiang Man Lou ( Sichuan restaurant ).  If you have not read my previous post, you can check the post  here .  I came home googled for the recipe and after studying through the recipe  , I tweaked it to my liking as in the preparation.  I  toasted the sichuan peppercorns and bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil and while the sauce is still hot, I added in the pick cucumber so that the flavors get infused into the cucumber .  It turned out great and I would like to share with you my version.  I serve the hot spicy cucumber chilled and let is sit overnight in the fridge.  It tasted awesome-ly good!  Yum!!

love the crunchy texture and the flavorful sweet black vinegar...

thumbs up !

this spicy cucumber salad is a healthy dish ....according to traditional 

Chinese medicine cucumber can loosen the bowel, 

reduce body fat, protect skin and smooth out wrinkles and

Sichuan peppercorns are very rich in essential oils,

vitamins and antioxidants   :)  I love these facts and

will make this dish more often :P

bought these Japanese cucumbers from Jusco

Hot Spicy Sichuan Style Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

6 med. sized Japanese cucumber -  remove seeds ,cut into strips
2 tsp of sea salt

2 tbsp of  black vinegar
2 tsp of sesame oil
5 cloves of garlic-chopped
4 dried chilli - cut into smaller pieces or pinch of chilli flakes
2 tsp of Sichuan peppercorns
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp of water
1 tbsp of vegetable oil

toasted white sesame seeds for garnishing

Preparation:

1. Cut cucumber into strips. Sprinkle sea salts evenly and pick it for 1-2 hours in the fridge. Squeeze out the salt water .
2. Heat up a non stick pan, add in Sichuan peppercorns and stir fry till it start jumping on your pan, add in oil, garlic, black vinegar, sesame oil , dried chillies, water and cook till it bubbles. Off heat , add in the cucumber strips and combine evenly with the black vinegar mixture and dish up. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

*   Serve at room temperature or chilled. I prefer to let it sit overnight. It taste much better.

Enjoy!