Terra Americana

I sat at the luxurious dinning room table of Maison Les Délices and Vanessa said, "I am sure you have had this dish before."  Indeed I had not, but what a delicious and refreshing surprise on a sultry summer day in Hong Kong.  Her recipe is one of my favorite souvenirs.

"The Chinese name of the Shanghai cucumber salad is called 拍黃瓜, it literally means Beat the Cucumber!!

After we clean the cucumber cut them into any size we desire but not too small, then we use the blade of the Chinese Knife  beat each piece lightly, so when we marinate the cucumber, which will absorb the vinegar better, it is more tasty!

I don't have exactly the quantity as I never measure, but you need;

• White Rice Wine Vinegar ,
• A little bit sugar,
• Soya Sauce,(proportion of would be 3parts of vinegar to 1part of soya sauce)
• 1 red chilli (if you can take spicy food),
• 2 or 3 cloves of crushed garlic
• Sesame Oil

Marinate the cucumber for a couple of hours and just add some sesame oil before serving."

More for cucumber ideas from around the world:

• Tzajiki  - Cucumber Dip

• Sevillian Gazpacho

• Rustic Italian Bread Salad

• The fresh flavor of summer

Photo Credit:  Julie Cecchini