Thai-style cucumber salad

At once refreshing and exhilarating, this salad has a simple cucumber and shallot base, which is given an exotic zing by the wonderfully spicy dressing.

2 cucumbers
2 shallots, very thinly sliced
1 tbsp peanuts, dry fried in a pan then finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

For the dressing:
2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed and ends trimmed
4 kaffir lime leaves (use zest of a lime if unavailable)
2 cloves garlic
1 green chilli, seeds in, roughly chopped (deseed for a milder dressing)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp groundnut oil
3 tbsp mirin rice vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup

View the full recipe at The Circus Gardener’s Kitchen →