Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad

A sweet and spicy cucumber salad with vibrant flavours of pomegranate molasses and green chillies plus topped with roasted peanuts and fried onions is a great addition to the summer table.

I have very few salad recipes on the blog because I don't make salads often and even if I do, they are too simple to have a "recipe" written. My idea of salad is usually one or two types of vegetables mixed with a kind of greens and a spicy lemon dressing. The times I do step up and try a fancy-looking salad, I usually never measure and then forget about it until I see the picture on my phone gallery and I am like... what did I do in that? 😁 So, trying to break the habit and jumping my chronology OCD to share this incredibly spicy salad that I came across on bon appetit. Please excuse my lousy pictures, these were not taken with the intent to share on the blog. 

The original recipe uses tamarind concentrate but I replaced it with pomegranate molasses and the rest is pretty much the same. You know how much I love pomegranate molasses and I do have a handful of recipes using it. My favourite part is the sweet, sour, spicy dressing without oil and plenty of chillis and peanuts! We love it! Also, this recipe uses coriander stems which got me all nostalgic about our coriander stem rasam which is fantastic. Unlike parsley, the stems of coriander are edible and so you should use them in this salad because the flavour it adds is terrific!

• 3 to 4 mini shallots, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced finely
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped tender coriander stem
• 3 medium-sized cucumbers, cut diagonal angle or roundels
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt to taste
• fistful of roughly chopped fresh coriander
• ¼ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped (add more if you like)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fried shallots (optional but recommended)

METHOD

1. Add shallot, garlic, green chillies, pomegranate molasses, lime juice, and soy sauce to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the chopped coriander stems and mix well.
2. Add cucumbers and tomatoes, season with salt, and toss until everything is nicely dressed.
3. Transfer the salad to the serving platter and top with chopped coriander leaves, fried shallots and roasted peanuts. Serve immediately.