Sichuan Cucumbers with Orange and Almond

This pickle was inspired by the now-famous chef Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco. He does a rocking mixed pickle topped with chunks of ground peanut and enough Sichuan peppercorn to numb your lips. I prefer to keep it all cukes, and I’ve swapped out the peanuts for almonds, which have a smoother finish. And while the chile and peppercorns are there, you can still get the vegetable, which is enhanced by the orange’s sweet acidity. Note that this recipe requires a spice grinder or spice-only coffee mill.

Makes 1¾ cups

TIME: 45 MINUTES

2 medium salad cucumbers (about 1 pound 5 ounces)

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

1½ teaspoons dried chile flakes

1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns

15 raw unsalted almonds

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Peel and trim the cucumbers, and slice them at an angle, ¼-inch thick. Toss them in a colander with the salt and let them rest over a catch bowl or directly over the sink for 20 minutes. Once they give up their copious liquid, rinse them briefly and pat them asdry as possible with a clean kitchen towel, and transfer them to a medium mixing bowl. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over high heat, toast the chile flakes and the peppercorns for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and slide the spices into a small bowl to cool. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, toast the almonds, stirring once or twice, until light brown on both sides, about 3 minutes.

In a spice grinder or dedicated coffee mill, grind the spices to a fine powder, then set aside. Grind the almonds finely as well, pulsing them carefully so as not to turn them into nut butter. Add the almonds to the cucumbers, along with the sugar and orange juice. Toss very well to coat evenly. Spread the cucumbers into a shallow dish and sprinkle liberally with the spice powder. Eat immediately, or cover and refrigerate; these will last up to 3 days.

hancheng

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