cucumber – yummy food share

Vibrant Cabbage Cucumber Salad with Spicy Sesame

2025-12-05

Hello fellow food adventurers! Today, I’m thrilled to share a recipe that’s incredibly quick, delightfully crunchy, and bursting with a unique flavor profile that will tantalize your taste buds. This dish, at its heart, is a simple tossed salad, but don’t let its ease fool you. It’s a masterclass in balancing textures and tastes, coming together in just about 20 minutes with minimal effort. Perfect for a busy weeknight or as a vibrant side dish to impress, it features crisp purple cabbage and refreshing cucumber tossed in a dressing that has just the right amount of kick. Get ready to wow yourself and your guests with this one – it’s wonderfully forgiving and endlessly adaptable! Let’s talk ingredients! For this delightful salad, you’ll need: Purple Cabbage: About half a medium head, finely shredded. It’s the star for its color and crunch. Cucumber: 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced then cut into matchsticks. English or Persian cucumbers work wonderfully here for their thin skin and fewer seeds. Garlic: 2-3 cloves, finely minced. This adds a pungent depth. Millet Pepper (小米椒): 1-2 small fresh chilies, finely minced. These are tiny but pack a punch! If you can’t find them at your local Asian market, you can substitute with finely minced Thai chilies or a Serrano pepper. Adjust the amount based on your spice preference. White Sesame Seeds: 1-2 tablespoons, toasted for maximum flavor. Salt: About 1 teaspoon for brining and a pinch for seasoning. Sugar: 1 tablespoon for brining and 1 teaspoon for the dressing. Soy Sauce: 1-2 tablespoons. This brings that essential umami depth. Vinegar: 2 tablespoons. The original recipe calls for “香醋” (fragrant vinegar), which is typically a dark, aged black vinegar with a complex profile. If you can’t find it, a good quality rice vinegar or even a balsamic vinegar…

Quick Crisp Apple Cucumber Salad

2025-11-27

Get ready for a salad that’s incredibly simple yet bursts with delightful flavor! This dish is wonderfully crisp, sweet, and refreshingly light. It’s a fantastic choice for those seeking a low-salt, low-oil, low-fat option that comes together in a flash. Perfect for a hot summer day, this salad is a cooling treat that’s both easy to make and incredibly satisfying. Prepare to be amazed by how a few simple ingredients can create such a vibrant taste experience! Before we dive in, let’s gather what you’ll need. This recipe is designed for speed and simplicity, taking only about 10 minutes from start to finish and is at a beginner-friendly difficulty level. The star here is the bright, fruity flavor profile, balanced with a savory touch. Here are the ingredients required for our quick salad: Cucumber: 1 medium Tip: For this recipe, we’re focusing on the crisp outer flesh. Any type of cucumber will work, but English or Persian cucumbers are great choices as they have fewer seeds and a thinner skin. Apple: ¼ medium Tip: A crisp, slightly tart apple like a Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp works best to maintain that refreshing crunch. Imitation Crab Sticks (Surimi): About 2-3 sticks, or to your liking. Note: These are commonly found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets, often near the deli or seafood. They are made from processed white fish. If you can’t find them or prefer an alternative, you could substitute with finely shredded cooked chicken, small cooked shrimp, or even a firm tofu for a vegetarian option. Roasted Sesame Paste: 1 tablespoon Note: This is different from tahini, though tahini can serve as a substitute in a pinch. True roasted sesame paste has a richer, nuttier, and often darker flavor. Look for brands from Asian grocery stores. If using tahini,…

Fiesta of Colors A Refreshing Tomato Cucumber Salad

2025-11-26

Get ready to awaken your senses with a vibrant kaleidoscope of freshness! This delightful dish is more than just a salad; it’s a quick, no-cook masterpiece celebrating the bright, clean flavors of crisp vegetables and sweet tomatoes, elevated by a zesty, slightly spicy dressing. Clocking in at a speedy ten minutes from start to finish, it’s perfect for those days when you crave something wholesome and delicious without spending hours in the kitchen. While the preparation requires a touch of precision and careful balancing of flavors, making it a rewarding “advanced” beginner’s project, the result is a wonderfully refreshing, palate-cleansing experience that feels both sophisticated and incredibly easy to enjoy. Its unique tangy and subtly hot notes will leave you and your guests wondering how something so simple can be so captivating. To bring this burst of flavor and color to life, gather these essential ingredients. You’ll need 2 medium cucumbers, preferably the crisp English or Persian varieties, which are less watery and have thinner skin. Add a generous handful of cherry tomatoes, aiming for a vibrant mix of red, yellow, and green for visual appeal. For that distinctive tangy edge, we’ll use 4 pieces of hawthorn fruit (see notes below on substitutes!). Now, let’s talk dressing: you’ll want soy sauce (light soy sauce is ideal), white vinegar (rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar are great alternatives), sesame oil for its nutty aroma, chicken granules (a pinch to enhance umami – feel free to use a tiny bit of MSG if you usually do, or a dash of chicken bouillon powder, or even omit entirely if preferred), and the star of our subtle heat, sesame chili oil. Measure these seasonings “to taste” – this is where your personal preference shines. For the hawthorn, if fresh is impossible to find, consider…

Effortless Pan Seared Steak with Crisp Cucumber

2025-10-26

If you’ve ever craved a perfectly cooked steak but felt intimidated by the process or simply didn’t have the time, this recipe is about to become your new best friend. Imagine a juicy, savory steak, seared to golden-brown perfection, on your plate in just ten minutes. While achieving the ideal steak can seem like an advanced culinary skill, this method uses a surprisingly simple pan-searing and steaming technique that is virtually foolproof. It’s a fantastic way to guarantee a tender, fully cooked steak without any fuss. The flavor profile is pure and unadulterated, focusing on the rich, beefy taste of the steak itself, enhanced by a simple seasoning of salt and pepper. This dish is the epitome of elegance in simplicity, proving that you don’t need a long list of ingredients or complicated steps to create a meal that feels special. To get started, you’ll only need a handful of fresh and simple ingredients. The focus here is on quality, not quantity. For a truly delicious result, try to get the best steak you can find. Here is what you will need for one serving: The Star: One high-quality steak, about 6-8 ounces (170-225g) and 1-inch thick. A cut like sirloin, New York strip, or ribeye works beautifully. The original recipe calls for a “raw-cut steak,” which simply means a fresh, unprocessed piece of beef. The Crunch: One small, crisp cucumber. Persian or Kirby cucumbers are excellent choices due to their firm texture and minimal seeds. The Seasoning: Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. While some pre-packaged steaks come with a seasoning packet, using your own fresh salt and pepper gives you complete control and a cleaner flavor. The Oil: 1 tablespoon of a neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point. The original recipe uses rice…

Salt Baked Style Shredded Chicken

2025-10-10

In many parts of Asia, there’s a wonderful saying that a feast is not truly a feast without a chicken dish at the center of the table. Whether it’s a holiday or a simple family get-together, a beautifully prepared chicken signifies celebration and abundance. This recipe brings that festive spirit right into your kitchen with a dish that is both elegant and incredibly rewarding to make. We’re going to create a sensational shredded chicken dish, infused with an aromatic broth and tossed with crisp vegetables and a savory dressing. While it carries the deep, complex flavors you’d expect from a restaurant, you’ll be amazed at how achievable it is at home. Taking about an hour from start to finish, this recipe transforms simple chicken thighs into a show-stopping meal that is salty, savory, and utterly addictive. To get started, let’s gather our ingredients. Don’t be intimidated by some of the names; many can be found in a well-stocked supermarket or an Asian grocery store, and I’ll provide easy-to-find alternatives for anything that might be tricky to locate. For Poaching the Chicken: Chicken Thighs: 2 large, bone-in, skin-on Ginger: 5 slices Shallots: 5 small (or 1 small red onion, quartered) Scallion: 1, whole Sichuan Peppercorns: 1 teaspoon (If unavailable, you can use black peppercorns for a different kind of spice) Dried Tangerine Peel: 2 pieces (You can substitute with a few wide strips of fresh orange peel) Fennel Seeds: 1 teaspoon Bay Leaves: 2 Fine Sea Salt: 2 teaspoons For the Salad and Dressing: Cucumber: 1, julienned Carrot: 1 small, julienned (about 1 handful) Onion: ½ small, thinly sliced (about 1 handful) Scallion: 1, finely sliced Salt Baked Chicken Powder: ½ tablespoon. This is a key flavoring agent. You can find it online or in Asian markets. For a DIY substitute,…

Golden Cheesy Rice Bites

2025-09-26

Say goodbye to boring breakfasts and hello to your new favorite savory treat! If you’re looking for a recipe that’s incredibly fast, ridiculously easy, and packed with flavor, you’ve come to the right place. These Golden Cheesy Rice Bites are a game-changer for busy mornings, a fun lunchbox addition, or a satisfying afternoon snack. Made with leftover rice and a handful of simple ingredients, this dish comes together in about 10 minutes using the magic of an air fryer. The result is a delightful combination of textures and tastes: slightly crispy rice on the outside, a soft and chewy center, and a savory, cheesy topping that melts in your mouth. It’s a simple “baking” technique that delivers maximum flavor with minimum effort, making it a guaranteed hit with both kids and adults. Let’s gather everything you’ll need. The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility, so feel free to get creative with what you have on hand. Here’s the list of ingredients to get you started: Ingredients: Cooked Rice: 1 cup. Leftover, day-old short-grain rice (like sushi or Calrose rice) works best as it’s stickier and holds its shape well. Cucumber: ¼ cup, finely diced. A small Persian cucumber is perfect for this. Sausage: 1 cooked sausage link, finely diced. You can use a breakfast sausage, a hot dog, or even some diced ham or salami for a different twist. Seaweed & Pork Floss (Rousong): 1 tablespoon. This is a common Asian pantry staple with a unique savory, slightly sweet, and fluffy texture. You can find it at most Asian grocery stores. Substitution: If you can’t find it, Japanese furikake seasoning is a fantastic alternative. You can also make a simple version by crumbling one sheet of roasted seaweed (nori) and mixing it with a teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds….

Spicy Garlic Glass Noodle Salad

2025-09-10

Are you searching for a dish that is effortlessly light yet bursting with an incredible depth of flavor? Look no further. This vibrant noodle salad is a true showstopper, ready in under an hour and so simple to prepare that it’s bound to become a staple in your light lunch or side dish rotation. The star of the show is the slippery, satisfying glass noodles, which act as the perfect canvas for a colorful medley of crisp, fresh vegetables. What truly sets this dish apart is its tantalizing dressing—a bold and zesty dance of savory garlic, tangy vinegar, and a gentle kick of heat. It’s a no-fuss recipe that relies on a simple tossing technique, making it perfect for even the most novice of home cooks. Get ready to awaken your taste buds with a dish that is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. To bring this delightful salad to life, you’ll need a handful of fresh ingredients and some key pantry staples. The beauty of this recipe lies in its flexibility, so feel free to adjust to your personal taste. Here’s what you’ll need for about 2-4 servings: For the Salad: Glass Noodles: 100g (about 3.5 oz). These are also known as cellophane noodles or mung bean vermicelli. They are naturally gluten-free. Cucumber: 1 medium English or Persian cucumber. These varieties have thin skin and fewer seeds, making them ideal for eating raw. Carrot: 1 medium carrot, peeled. Cilantro: A small bunch, about 1/2 cup, roughly chopped. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can substitute it with fresh parsley or mint for a different flavor profile. Chilies: 2-3 bird’s eye chilies, finely minced. These pack a punch! For less heat, you can use one serrano pepper or a generous pinch of red pepper…