Szechwan cucumber salad

 
                          SZECHWAN CUCUMBER SALAD
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Chinese                          Salads
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    2       tb           Small dried wood ear
                         -mushrooms
    2                    Cucumbers
    4                    Red hot peppers cut in thin
                         -rounds
    2       ts           Light soy sauce
    2       tb           Chinese white vinegar
    2       tb           Sugar
    1       t            Salt
    1       tb           Sesame oil
 
   Pour boiling water over tree ears; let stand for 15 minutes.  Peel
   cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, scrape out seeds.  Slice into thin
   half-moons.  When mushrooms are soft, drain, rinse and dry.  (Slice
   'em if they're too big.  Wood ears will quadruple in size when
   soaked++SC.) Combine with remaining ingredients.  Let stand for 15
   minutes then toss again before serving.
   
   NOTE:  (Wood ears can be found in Chinese markets.  After soaking
   they have little taste but lots of crunch.  They're there for the
   texture.  I can't think of anything to substitute (maybe raw carrots
   or water chestnuts) except for dried duck web or jellyfish and you're
   much more likely to find wood ears than those items.  Be sure to use
   the dark, cooked, Asian sesame oil rather than the light stuff in
   health food stores. I'd make this before the ribs and chill it well
   while doing the rest.)
   
   It's from the same article by Bruce Cost.
   
   Posted by Stephen Ceideburg April 22 1990.
  
 
 
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