Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sweet and Sour Cucumbers

The sweet and sour cucumber paired with the beef yakitori and rice.

I paired these with the Beef Yakitori and they were an excellent compliment. A friend with whom I play D&D is Jewish and he informed me that there is an Israeli dish that is very similar. I was happy to hear that, because while I know the cucumbers are traditional in Japanese food, I wondered if they were found in other cultures. The cucumbers took me about 35 minutes to prepare (20 minutes active) and made a nice side dish for five people.

Sweet and Sour Cucumbers

Ingredients

2 American pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 daikon radish (4 ounces), peeled and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Put the cucumber, daikon and garlic in a heatproof bowl.

2. In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the rice vinegar with the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat just until the salt and sugar are dissolved.

3. Pour the brine over the vegetables and gently squeeze the vegetables to soften them. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 15 minutes. Be sure to remove the garlic prior to service!

Notes

I used a mandoline to cut the radish and cucumbers. I think it's a good idea to do so in order to get a nice thin slice.

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