I hope anyone on the Eastern seaboard stayed safe throughout Hurricane Irene. My parents live in Rhode Island and haven’t had electricity since early Sunday. My mom says she’s so bored. I can imagine, but I’m glad the storm wasn’t as severe as anticipated. Slowly, lights will turn back on and the scramble to cook something by candlelight will be a fond tale people tell their kids time and time again. If the word hurricane is even mentioned my dad will go on about how my sister was born during Hurricane Gloria and about the little stream in the back of my house that was used for water. He likes to tell us how they managed without electricity for over a week with a newborn baby.
We are so accustomed to a life where electricity runs all the time and food and water are plentiful. In Toronto, where I live I looked out the window yesterday and the sun was peeking through the clouds. Imagine, while life is normal where you are, people in other areas may not have the same luxury. That’s what I thought as I looked outside and that a few hundred miles away the scene was completely different.
I hope the fallen trees get picked up soon and people are able to get back to their normal routine. I know it won’t take very long. But until then you can whip this salad as you read my blog on your mobile device or while using the free wireless at Starbucks. It’s a simple salad with clean flavors. It requires no excessive work and is full of freshness. I’ve been making this salad way too often, it’s the kind of thing where once you start you can’t stop. I pair it with chicken, fish, or even on its own. I love this recipe because it literally takes 5 minutes to make and it’s so healthy. Give it a try before summer is over.
Cucumber Salad with Black Sesame Seeds
Serves 2, as a side can easily be doubled or tripled, etc.
Ingredients
1/2 a large English cucumber cut into thick match sticks (de-seeded if you like, I don’t mind the seeds)
3 scallions, sliced on an angle
1 tablespoon mint, cut in a chiffonade
1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds
for the dressing:
1/2 a jalapeño pepper, chopped finely and seeds, removed if desired
1 small shallot, chopped finely
juice and zest of lime juicy lime
1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek, more or less depending on how spicy you like it
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon neutral-flavored vegetable oil
raw sugar, to taste
pinch sea salt
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
Method
Make the dressing first by adding the shallots and jalapeño to a bowl and letting them soften in the lime juice and zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add in the Sambal Oelek, sesame oil, vegetable oil, salt, sugar, red chili flakes and whisk well until combined. You can make the dressing ahead of time and toss it with the cucumbers and herbs at the last-minute.
Next, toss the dressing with the cucumbers, scallions, and mint. Also add in the toasted black sesame seeds. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. This is not a “make ahead” salad and should be served fresh. But as I said before the dressing can be made in advance.
Such a heartfelt post Nadia..Loved reading through. I wish your family is safe and is able to cope up with power outages. This salad is totally on my wish list now..I need to get black sesame seeds now..have only white ones at home! Love the cute bowls 🙂
Yum…gorgeous…refreshing salad..my mouth is watering!!!
We were lucky we did not lose our power…I hope your parents are well and hope that their power is restored asap! xoxo
Lovely post; love the family story.
Beautiful presentation on this salad, esp the julienning of the cucumbers. Is there anything we can sub if Sambal oelek isn’t on hand?
I think sriracha would work in the same way. Do you have that? Or even tabasco.
I hope the power is back at your parents place and they are fine…
Lovely salad with beautiful colors….
thanks for sharing.
lovely post , I can just imagine khala pacing up and down being bored but hopefully normalacy is restored. I love cucumbers and this seems just perfectly zesty spicy and tangy and beautiful pics as always
A wonderful salad with ingredients I have heard of and never tried yet (and would like to)’ power outages are such a pain, in Lebanon, people live with them (every 20 minutes or so) and this has been going on for years. Hopefully the situation can improve and comfort restored.
sooo pretty and i ❤ your little tear-drop shaped bowls!
this looks refreshing and yummy. the dressing is interesting. i love cucumber a lot . i eat them almost everyday 🙂 i love sprinkling salt and chilli powder on them once in a while and having that…streetfood style 😉
wow .. a week without light and specially with a new born baby! That pretty amazing Nadia . I think we all should start considering all these necessity a luxury 🙂
I am happy things are settling down.. lots of life lost and so many damages 😦
This salad is just perfect for me .. i have all the required ingredients with me.
It may be a simple salad but it most certainly is wonderfully flavorful and mighty gorgeous!
Wonderfully written post and so very true, we many times forget the luxuries we have when we have them. I am grateful that it seems the storm was no nearly as potentially destructive as anticipated. And I am very happy that your family is safe.
I hope you are having a lovely week…
I love the different mix of flavours here! Great salad
Simple and delicious just the way that she (nature) intended it. 🙂
This looks really great. My mom makes a delicious cucumber salad, but this is completely different. I love the idea of the dressing — so much flavor. Beautiful colors, too.
Wow, this looks so delicious and very easy to make. For me, this is the type of salad that completes a meal, just the final touch to a nice cooked meal.
I love it.
Newbie here 🙂
Beautiful salad. So light and crisp.
I hope your parents are fine. We are too much reliant on power and it gets so difficult without it.
That looks so refreshing! I love your dressing too. Perfect for a humid and hot afternoon or evening. 🙂
Salad looks so fresh! Love the pictures! New fan! 😀
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Kavi | Edible Entertainment
Ongoing event: Healthy Lunch Challenge