It may sound strange to eat something spicy to whet your appetite given the hot and humid weather. But I find that this north-eastern Chinese spicy cold dish of enoki mushroom and cucumber does its job as an appetiser.
A chef friend introduced me to the dish at a north-eastern Chinese eatery last year.
He says the dish helps to perk up his appetite whenever he is not in the mood to eat after a day of labour in the hot kitchen.
It is an easy salad to prepare and does not require you to fire up the stove.
For my homemade version, I use Lao Gan Ma xiang la jiang (chilli sauce).
Lao Gan Ma, which is Chinese for "old godmother", is a brand known for its spicy condiments.
The beauty of making this at home is you can adjust the seasoning to suit your preference.
If you cannot get hold of Lao Gan Ma, you can make a simpler version by using red finger chilli or chilli padi.
Or skip the chilli entirely if you want a non-spicy version.
Lao Gan Ma xiang la jiang is salty on its own. If you are not using it, I suggest using a little light soya sauce instead.
You can also replace white vinegar with black rice vinegar.
At some north-eastern Chinese eateries, they take pride in serving the dish with aged black rice vinegar.
The difference is a matter of preference.
Given the current circuit breaker period, it is also a matter of what you have on hand if you intend to try out this dish.
If you want to prepare the dish a few hours ahead of your mealtime, keep the seasoning sauce separate from the enoki and cucumber. This prevents the vegetables from going soggy in the dressing.
Mix in the seasoning just before serving.
SPICY ENOKI AND CUCUMBER SALAD
INGREDIENTS
1.4 litres of water, divided
200g enoki mushrooms, roots removed
8 cubes of ice
Pinch of salt (for boiling the enoki)
1 Japanese cucumber, sliced into 0.5cm-thick strips
3 cloves of garlic (15g), finely chopped
10g fresh coriander, cut into 3cm pieces
SEASONING
3 to 4 Tbs Lao Gan Ma xiang la jiang (spicy chilli sauce)
2 Tbs sesame oil
2 Tbs white rice vinegar
1 flat tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
METHOD
1. Bring 800ml of water to a boil in a pot over medium heat.
2. Pour remaining water into a bowl and add ice.
3. Add a pinch of salt into the hot water.
4. Place enoki in the pot and boil for 30 seconds, then remove from pot. Drain and place enoki in the iced water for 30 seconds. Drain excess water.
5. Place enoki, cucumber and garlic in a bowl.
6. In a small bowl, mix the Lao Gan Ma xiang la jiang, sesame oil, white rice vinegar, sugar and salt.
7. Pour the seasoning over the enoki and cucumber. Toss.
8. Garnish with coriander then serve.
Serves two