- 4 small cucumbers, sliced in half lengthways and de-seeded, each half cut into long wedge shapes and then sliced into 1cm/½in pieces
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
- 2 pinches of caster sugar
- 1 tbsp Chinese clear rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
- 1 tsp chilli bean paste
- 1 tsp chilli oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and cut into small strips
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Add the cucumbers and leave to marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Divide the mixture between small bowls, garnish with the fresh chilli and serve with plain rice and stir-fried vegetables for a light but flavourful dinner.
- You can also make a batch of pickled cucumber and decant into sterilised glass jars, then keep refrigerated for up to one week. Spoon some into a chicken or vegetable stir fry to add flavour.