Cool yet fiery, this Asian-inspired cucumber salad is a barbecue must. It’s also great with chicken
Ingredients
For the cucumber salad
- 1 large cucumber, peeled
- 1 tsp golden caster sugar
- 1 tbsp rice white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- small knob of ginger, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 large red chilli, halved, deseeded and finely sliced
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- large handful coriander leaves
For the chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts, skin on
Method
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Slice the cucumber in half lengthways and use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds. Slice cucumber into thick diagonal chunks. Tip it into a bowl and sprinkle with the sugar, vinegar and large pinch of salt. Leave for about 30 mins in the fridge. Meanwhile, tip the other salad ingredients into a bowl. Drain the cucumber and tip in with the rest of the ingredients.
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Heat a griddle pan or heavy-bottomed frying pan until hot, but not smoking. Rub the chicken with oil, season with salt and pepper and sear, skin-side down, for about 8 mins until the skin is crisp and brown and the chicken is practically cooked. Flip the chicken over and give it a few mins more on the flesh side to finish it off. Leave the chicken to rest, then slice each breast on an angle and serve with a pile of cucumber salad.