Cucumber Chinese Cold Dish

Chinese appetizers often feature "cold dishes", which gets the special distinction for being served cold. Of course, in western cuisine where cold food is a lot more common, such as distinction would not make much sense. Nonetheless, for a culinary style that marginalizes anything cold, this modern appetizer will surely make a lasting impression in your dinner serving.

Step 1: Materials

Ingredients:

• Cucumber
• lemon/lime juice
• garlic
• peanuts (peeled)

Additional seasoning:

• vinegar
• soy sauce
• roasted sesame oil
• coriander seed

Step 2: Prep the Peanuts

In a warm frying pan:

• roast peanuts at medium low heat for 5 minutes, turn heat off and leave in pan for 2 more minutes.
• transfer to a mortar;
• grind to small peanut chunks.

Step 3: Making the Sauce

In mixing bowl:

• Mix vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil in 4:2:1 amount.
• finely dice 2 cloves of garlic.

In a hot pan:

• add 2 tablespoon vegetable oil;
• toss in coriander seeds / szechuan pepper until the flavor is ripe;
• add in garlic to the pan, but remove pan from heat right after;
• move contents in pan to the mixing bowl.

Step 4: Cut Cucumber and Finish Up

• Cut cucumber into 1 inch long segments;
• slice the cucumber vertically into 3 pieces;
• stack the cucumber into serving plate;
• sprinkle crushed peanut over the plate;
• cover evenly with the sauce;
• serve and enjoy!