Do: stir-fry with the Asian stir-fry cucumber
Have you seen it at the supermarket yet? That cucumber that looks just a little different from what you’re used to and is perfect for stir-frying? I picked one up and I’m a fan.
Although in the Netherlands we mainly eat cucumber raw in a salad, use it as a topping (on this delicious hummus, for example) or use it to garnish our gin and tonic, in Asia cucumbers are used in a wide variety of dishes. In salads, yes, here too, such as this incredible Sichuan smashed cucumber salad, but especially in many hot dishes.
Asian stir-fry cucumber
Do you always stir-fry your courgette and aubergine? Try stir-frying some Asian stir-fry cucumber with them for a change. A Dutch cucumber would work too, but these contain quite a lot of water, which means they quickly become limp and tough when heated. The Asian stir-fry cucumber is better suited to hot preparations. You don’t need to peel it or remove the core either; after washing and slicing, this cucumber can go straight into the hot wok.
With pimples
The Asian stir-fry cucumber looks like a cucumber as you know it, although the skin is noticeably different: thicker and covered in ‘pimples’. The core contains less water, allowing it to retain its shape and texture. You can also eat this cucumber raw. And although its name suggests otherwise, this Asian cucumber is grown in the Netherlands. That saves unnecessary transport costs.
Wok it like it’s hot
Once you’ve washed it, cut it into cubes and go for it. Make a rice dish with it, for example, using oven-baked salmon (glazed with Kewpie roasted sesame and soy sauce, mmm!), onions, green beans and stir-fry cucumber, topped with toasted sesame seeds. Delicious and ready in no time. Or go for the same thing but vegan, with marinated tofu. Anything goes. Tasty, surprising and simple—ideal, right?
