Name: Pipinna Sambola
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 field or English cucumber, peeled; ½ small red or white onion; ½ green (Thai) chili; ½ –1 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste; ¼ tsp ground black pepper; 1 small lime wedge (yielding about 1 tsp juice)

thinly sliced cucumber rounds with slivers of onion and chile pepper and flecks of ground black pepper

Acken Studios

This cucumber salad is a staple dish in my household. I am not sure why it is so satisfying, but I’m inclined to think it’s its simplicity. The few ingredients of this salad combine to create a cool, refreshing mix of flavors. When I used to watch my mother prepare this, I noticed that she made a special effort to very thinly slice the cucumber. This does make a difference to the taste, texture, and flavor. The cucumber nicely absorbs the lime dressing and delicately complements rice and a variety of curries (especially meat curries with robust flavors).

While you can prep and chop the ingredients ahead of time, it is best to add the dressing just prior to serving, so the vegetables maintain their crunch. Getting the right balance of lime and salt is what makes this salad so tasty, especially since this recipe requires an ample amount of both. The generous amount of lime juice complements and equalizes the extra salt.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 field or English cucumber, peeled

½ small red or white onion

½ green (Thai) chili

½ –1 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 small lime wedge (yielding about 1 tsp juice)

Preparation

Step 1
Thinly slice the cucumber and place the slices in a bowl. Thinly slice the onion, separate out the rings or slices, and add to the cucumber.
Step 2
Thinly slice the green chili on the diagonal and add to the cucumber.
Step 3
Add the salt and pepper, squeeze the lime wedge over top, and combine all the ingredients with your hands. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Serve right away.

Cover of the cookbook Milk, Spice & Curry Leaves

Recipe by Ruwanmali Samarakoon-Amunugama, from Milk, Spice and Curry Leaves copyright © 2020 by Ruwanmali Samarakoon-Amunugama. Reprinted with permission of TouchWood Editions. Buy the full book from Amazon or from Bookshop.