This is a delightful, sparky little dish that takes care of a surplus of cucumbers and refreshes the palate beautifully.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 long cucumbers
500g sustainably farmed or caught cooked prawns
1⁄4 cup lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1-2 teaspoons brown sugar, or to taste
Pinch chilli flakes
1⁄4 cup raw roasted peanuts
1-2 red chillies, thinly sliced
Method
1. Use a peeler to remove cucumber skin. Halve lengthwise, then use a teaspoon to run down the middle to remove seeds (see note). Slice thinly.
2. Prepare prawns by running a sharp knife down the back of each prawn to remove the vein. This also opens them up a bit to absorb the dressing flavours.
3. Make dressing in a bowl by whisking together lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar and chilli flakes. Taste – it should be sweet, sour, salty and hot – and adjust seasoning as needed. Add cucumber, prawns, roasted peanuts and chopped chilli and toss to coat.
4. Transfer to a serving dish or plate up as individual portions.
Nici’s note:
Use the discarded cucumber seeds for a refreshing drink with watermelon, lime juice and crushed ice.
