Sichuan-style pickled cucumbers

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300 g cucumber(s)
• 1 tsp salt
• 30 g ginger
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ chili pepper(s)
• ½ tsp Szechuan pepper
• ½ tsp chili pepper
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes

quick Chinese salad

Quarter the unpeeled cucumbers lengthwise, remove the seeds, and cut into five-centimeter sticks. Sprinkle with salt and let them steep in a sieve for half an hour. Peel the ginger, cut it into fine cubes, and also steep it in water for half an hour to reduce the spiciness. Wash and dry the cucumber sticks, then add the drained ginger cubes. Halve the chili pepper, remove the seeds, and cut it into fine rings. Fry with the Szechuan peppercorns in sesame oil for just under a minute. Pour the spiced oil over the cucumbers. Add the chili pepper, rice vinegar, and sugar, and mix everything together. Let steep for at least an hour. Season again with salt before serving.