CUCUMBER-ONION SALAD

This is an easy side dish that we love. Well, I partly love it. I don't eat raw onions, so I just eat the cucumbers from this salad. But, interestingly, the onions flavor the cucumbers when they marinate together, and that part I really like. Sometimes I add coarsely chopped green pepper and/or minced jalapeno pepper, and sometimes I add a teaspoon of honey.

This salad will taste best if you make it ahead and let it marinate a while in the vinegar dressing. There aren't many ingredients, there's no long to do list -- sometimes simple is nice.

Cucumber-Onion Salad

Source: Judy's Kitchen

Rating: 9 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:

1 large cucumber, peeled & sliced

1 small sweet onion, peeled, sliced and slices quartered

1/2 tsp. - 1 tsp. sea salt (to taste)

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Optional additions: 1 tsp. honey

1 cup coarsely chopped green pepper

1 Tbsp. minced serrano or jalapeno pepper

Place all ingredients in medium bowl and toss to combine. Let sit on counter or in fridge for several hours before serving. If placing in fridge, bring to room temperature before serving.

SARA'S SWEET HOT CUCUMBERS ( A JAD)

This dish is traditionally served with satay.

Sara's Sweet Hot Cucumbers (a jad)
Rating: 8 out of 10
1 cucumber, skin on, quartered lengthwise then sliced thin
1 small sweet onion, quartered then sliced thin
2 Tbsp. sugar
3-4 Thai chile peppers, thinly sliced (These are hot, so plan accordingly -- you can leave them out if you don't want any more heat.)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients and let sit, refrigerated, for at least 1/2 hour or longer if possible. (Note: Always taste after your dish is mixed, so you can adjust seasonings to your liking.)