Hello there! Sorry for the long long radio silence. I’ve been super lucky this summer and have been traveling quite a bit – Mexico, China, and soon Spain! Hands down, the best part about travel is the food. I draw so much inspiration from all the eating I’ve done abroad, and believe me, eating was a central part of every itinerary. It’s not only a great way to get another perspective on the local culture, but it helps fuel my creativity in the kitchen when I get back…
After four weeks of travel in China, I’m excited to be back in the kitchen cooking again – inspired by the many different regional Chinese cuisines we ate throughout our trip. The food in China really was spectacular – the bold flavors and smells enticed our senses day after day. Plus, so much of the food brought me back to my childhood and gave me the opportunity to reintroduce myself to long lost dishes. Since switching to a plant-based diet all those years ago, I have rarely ate Chinese food. The food from my upbringing was meat-centric (with a lot of pork) and very very cooked – pretty much the opposite of my current diet.
While there is a vegetarian food culture in China (driven primarily by Buddhism), there is very little raw food in Chinese cuisine. Even in the middle of summer with a heat index of over 110F, nearly all the traditional food in China was served cooked and very hot, especially vegetables! One exception is this seriously delicious and super easy-to-make Chinese Cucumber Salad. This dish appeared in both southern and northern China and the absolute best versions were found at local farmers’ restaurants in Hangzhou (near West Lake) as well as in the outskirts of Beijing (Jinshanling area of the Great Wall). The cucumbers were literally plucked from the garden right before serving – it doesn’t get better than that!
This is my version of this incredible dish. It’s light and refreshing while still having bold and assertive flavors – a great option for the last hot days of summer!
CHINESE CUCUMBER SALAD
Ingredients
- 2 medium cucumbers
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- scant Tbsp brown rice vinegar
- scant Tbsp tamari
- 3/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 3/4 tsp coconut sugar or regular sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- pinch or two red chili flakes optional
Instructions
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Wash cucumbers well and cut off ends. Cut cucumbers into half moons or quarter moons.
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In a small bowl, make dressing by combining the rest of the ingredients. Stir well.
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Right before serving, toss cucumbers with dressing.