Chili Pickled Cucumbers - 5x5 Recipes - Simple dishes with less than 5 ingredients or steps

Ingredients

• Cucumbers (any type works, the harder the better)
• White vinegar
• Sugar (granular)
• Salt (granular)
• Chili oil (in this case, Hot Crispy Oil works really nicely)

Steps

1. Rinse and cut your cucumber into slices. Any thickness is fine, although thicker slices tend to work better as an appetizer. Thin slices can work nicely as a finishing garnish for a dish. You can even dice your cucumbers into cubes.
2. Combine in a sealable container with the rest of your ingredients. You can use any amount of the vinegar, sugar, salt, and chili oil--based on your preference. As a starting point, we recommend using a quart-sized container, filling it with cucumbers then using the following measurements:

• 2 tablespoons of chili oil
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Mix, refrigerate for at least a few hours (overnight if you can).

Drizzle with additional chili oil upon plating. As an optional step, add a very small amount of sesame oil as a finishing aromatic.

Enjoy as a snack, an appetizer before a meal, or as one of many small dishes instead of a large entree!

Commentary

The world of pickling is vast. Please note that this is a very quick recipe meant to introduce a nutritious vegetable, complex flavor, and some dimension to your dining table. Consider it a quick pickle. Consume within a week or so.

What are 5x5 Recipes?

5x5 recipes are for people who love good food but want to make it at home with limited space and time. All recipes have less than 5 ingredients and 5 steps, but pack a world of flavor. Many of our 5x5 recipes take less than 5 minutes of effective "cooking" time. Happy rim burning!