Cucumber Sambola, Sri Lankan Cucumber and Onion Salad
Every Sri Lankan rice and curry plate wants something cool and raw to balance the heat, and this cucumber sambola is the simplest of them. It is barely a recipe, which is the point: crisp cucumber, sharp onion, and tomato brought together with lime and cracked pepper. Seeding the cucumber and soaking the onion are the two small moves that keep it from going watery or harsh. Toss it at the last minute, because acid on cucumber is a clock that starts the moment they meet.
Ingredients
- 2 Cucumbers, halved, seeded, and sliced thin
- 1/2 Red onions, sliced paper-thin
- 1 Fresh tomatoe, seeded and diced
- 1 Indian green chile, minced
- 2 tbsp Lime juice
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chile, ground
- 3 tbsp Cilantro, chopped
Method
- Slice the cucumber thin and seed it first. The watery core dilutes the dressing and turns the salad soggy within the hour, so scrape it out with a spoon.
- Soak the paper-thin red onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain. This mellows the raw bite so the onion reads as crunch and color, not a harsh edge, without needing to salt it.
- In a bowl, combine the cucumber, drained onion, tomato, and green chile.
- Add the lime juice, cracked pepper, and ground Kashmiri chile and toss. The lime and pepper are the whole seasoning, so add lime a little at a time and taste until the salad is sharp and lively.
- Fold in the cilantro just before serving. Serve right away, while everything is cold and crisp, as a fresh counterpoint to a hot, spiced meal.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 40 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fiber, 10 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
