Serving
(click to enlarge)

 Bean Thread & Cucumber Salad
Pacific Rim - Southeast Asian style
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:		 6 sal
*
1+ hr  
Best
A very simple but refreshing and enjoyable Southeast Asian style salad for warm summer days. You can vary the chili bite to suit your taste, but it should not be too mild. It can be made at least a day ahead.


5-1/4
1
3
------
1
3
2
1/2
1
------ 		oz
#

---
T
T
T
T
T
--- 		Bean Threads (1)
Cucumbers (2)
Serrano Chilis (3)
-- Dressing
Chili Garlic (4)
Black Vinegar (5)
Soy Sauce
Palm Sugar (6)
Oil
-- Garnish
(Note-7)
  1. Soak BEAN THREADS in hot water (a little too hot for you to hold a finger in). As always with food it's better to heat cold water than to use hot tap water. Let soak for 20 minutes or a bit more. Drain and chill in cold water, then drain again. Stretch out on the cutting board and cut into lengths of about 3 inches.
  2. Cut CUCUMBERS into strips about 1/8 inch square and 2 inches or so long. A julienning vegetable peeler is invaluable for this job. You could also use the coarse side of a box grater, but crosswise slices don't blend so well with the noodles (see Note-2).
  3. Chop CHILIS very fine and add to Cucumbers.
  4. Mix All Dressing Items, making sure the sugar is dissolved (I run it to powder in my spice grinder so it dissolves faster).
  5. Mix together ALL Items and allow to rest for as long as you can, turning now and then. If in a hurry, let sit at room temperature and then chill for 1/2 hour or more in the fridge. Overnight in the fridge is better. The longer it rests the better the flavors will blend and the chilis will be less sharp.
  6. Garnish as desired (Note-7) and serve.
NOTES:
  1. Bean Threads:   Around here thin bean threads are most commonly in hanks of 1-3/4 ounces weight, but other forms are also seen, including bulk and 2 ounce hanks.
  2. Cucumbers:   Persian or similar cucumbers which need neither peeling nor seeding are preferable, but if all you have is waxed blimps peel them, split lengthwise and seed them. If you're using a julienning peeler you can just peel (with a regular peeler), then use the julienning peeler all around until you hit the seed mass.
  3. Serrano Chili:   Of course you can use other green chilis and adjust. With medium Serranos, 3 is rather sharp, 2 is medium and 1 is not quite mild. I use 3 for myself, 1 or 2 depending on guests. For details see my Chili Page.
  4. Chili Garlic Sauce:   The easily available Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce will do fine, or anything like it.
  5. Black Vinegar:   Chinese Chinkiang black vinegar is easily available these days. Pearl River Bridge is a good brand. If you don't have it, an "industrial" balsamic vinegar can be substituted, or you can use regular rice vinegar for a lighter color and flavor.
  6. Palm sugar:   If you don't have this you can use Turbinado or some other light brown sugar.
  7. Garnish:   Unsalted peanuts, freshly roasted and crushed, are a very popular garnish in Southeast Asia, but I don't really care for them that much. I usually garnish with cilantro leaves or threads of Fresno chili.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch

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