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Chunky Bacon and Cucumber Salad

Recipe by Ching He Huang from Chinese Food Made Easy

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(Sichuan 'kai-wei' Salad)

In Chengdu and all over Sichuan they love cured pork and for starters you will often find a delicious spicy cucumber salad in vinegar and Sichuan pepper oil. Inspired by these ingredients, I wanted to recreate the flavours at home and so I have chosen to use smoked lardons, which give this dish its smoky saltiness, and Sichuan peppercorns to provide numbing heat. The cucumber and rice vinegar help to cut through those flavours, making this an unbelievably addictive and moreish dish. A great starter, it helps to ‘kai-wei’ – open up the appetite. If you are vegetarian, substitute chestnut and shiitake mushrooms for the lardons.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tablespoon groundnut oil
6 long dried chillies
2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
1 star anise
100g/3½oz smoked lardons, cut into 1cm thick pieces
1 medium red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons clear rice vinegar or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
200g/7oz cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded and sliced into 1cm/½ inch thick wedges
1 pinch of sea salt
1–2 pinches of dried chilli flakes
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chilli oil
1 very small handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
dry-roasted peanuts (optional)

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Method

Heat a wok or pan over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Add the dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add the star anise, lardons and chilli and stir-fry until the lardons have turned golden brown at the edges.
Add the rice wine or sherry, vinegar and sesame oil and stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the cucumber and stir-fry for a few seconds.
Season with the sea salt, dried chilli flakes and lime juice.
Place on a serving plate, drizzle over the chilli oil, garnish with the chopped coriander, sprinkle over some peanuts, if you like them, and serve immediately.

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Notes & Tips

CHING'S TIPS

To help vegetables cook in the wok, add a splash or two of water to help create some “steam” whilst stir frying.

Use msg free products where possible.

Groundnut oil can be substituted with vegetable oil, sunflower oil or corn oil.

A large number of dishes can be adapted to suit vegetarians. Look out for where you can substitute the meat for tofu or vegetables and use vegetarian sauces.

Use low sodium soy sauce where possible