Let me tell you a little story once again.
A few years ago on a weekend before Christmas we decided to call a few of our good friends over for dinner to share the love and a delicious meal as we always do during the most wonderful time the year.
I started cooking in preparation for the meal two days ahead. Personally, I don’t like standing in the kitchen for too long. I tire easily standing in one spot and I prefer prepping various parts of the meal before the actual day, dividing the workload. I also feel that certain dishes especially meats and pulses pull in more flavour when cooked a day ahead.
My husband who usually helps me with the meals was out at work and couldn’t help me on this occasion. So I asked him if he could make a quick salad when he was back and just before they came over. After cleaning up and taking a quick shower, I noticed he was done. He told me that he had decided to make a simple cucumber salad and mentioned that back home it was always a great accompaniment to rice and dry sides. Eg. A plain pulav and a dry meat/vegetarian dish.
That evening after my friends came over and we were done with dinner. They mentioned that they loved every part of the dinner. Pleased as punch I asked what they loved the best. Pat came the reply, “Cheri everything was great, especially your salad. I loved it. How do you make it ?”
Hmmm…….
Craig’s simple cucumber salad.
2 onions
4 cucumbers
1 green chilly
Salt and pepper to taste
Milk of 1/2 a coconut.
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. Peel the outer skin only if necessary*.
With the same peeler instead of using your knife at this point, peel the cucumbers lengthwise, such that you have long ribbons of cucumber. Keep this aside in a separate bowl. After a while gently squeeze the ribbons of cucumber separating it from its liquid. Discard the liquid.
Finely slice the onions, and add a little salt and pepper to taste. Keep these aside covered in a separate bowl too. Now chop the green chilly and add it to the onions.
Mix the onions and chilly mix with the squeezed cucumber and add the coconut milk.Season with salt and pepper if needed. Keep the bowl in the fridge the cool. Serve chilled.
Fr. Warner D'Souza is a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Bombay. He has served in the parishes of St Michael's (Mahim), St Paul's (Dadar East), Our Lady of Mount Carmel, (Bandra), a ten year stint as priest-in-charge at St Jude Church (Malad East) and at present is the Parish Priest at St Stephen's Church (Cumballa Hill). He is also the Director of the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum and is the co-ordinator of the Committee for the Promotion and Preservation of the Artistic and Historic Patrimony of the Church.
