These Cucumbers with Mint Vinaigrette are the perfect fresh and crisp accompaniment to the Asian Lime Ribs that are a family favorite! They help cut through the spiciness of the ribs. While the meal goes superbly together, you certainly can’t go wrong with either recipe individually. Trust me.
I could (and do) eat these Cucumbers with Mint Vinaigrette on their own as a refreshing summer side dish, not to mention if there are leftovers from a cookout with the ribs. I find these to be reminisent of Glenn’s Sweet and Sour Cucumbers that are served with his Indonesian Peanut Butter Sauce. While both have an asian flare and provide that bright, palate cleansing bite when paired with a rich, spicy meal, they are also uniquely different.
Taking a cue from Glenn, I prefer to make these with English cucumbers (also known as hothouse cucumbers) although you could use regular cucumbers. The English cucumbers are the really long cucumbers typically wrapped individually in plastic at the grocery store. They tend to have a slightly sweeter taste due to the smaller sized seeds. You certainly do not need to peel the cucumbers, sometimes I do while other times I don’t, it just depends on my mood. Keeping the dark green peel adds a nice pop of color to the dish.
Having a mandoline makes putting this dish together a breeze! I love my mandoline because it makes slicing vegetables in a consistent manner so simple. You just have to be careful when using it since the blades are very sharp.
You can make the Cucumbers with Mint Vinaigrette ahead of time and let the flavors meld in a container in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the meal. Serve these chilled.
Cucumbers with Mint Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber sliced thinly *
- 10-15 fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tsp fresh ginger minced
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers and set aside in a bowl
- Combine remaining 5 ingredients in blender and puree
- Toss puree with the sliced cucumbers
- Refrigerate to allow flavors to meld until ready to serve
- Serve chilled
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