Spicy Szechuan Pickled Cucumbers

These spicy cucumbers are a great addition to any meal, but especially a stir fry or noodle dish. I recommend making a day in advance, or morning of for dinner to give the cucumbers a chance to really soak in the spice. Chili crisp will bring the final sodium to the dish and feel free to adjust the amount of salt used at first on the cucumbers.

Ingredients:

• 1 seedless cucumber, about 1 lb
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (or distilled vinegar)
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flake
• 1/2 tablespoon chili crisp
• 1/2 teaspoon Szechuan pepper corns (or an additional ½ tablespoon chili crisp)
• 1/4 cup neutral oil

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the cucumber. Slice lengthwise then cut into 1/2 inch moons. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Stir and let sit for 20 minutes.
2. While the cucumbers sit, in a small saucepan over low heat, add the sugar and vinegar. Heat until dissolved.
3. Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a light simmer for two minutes, then turn off heat.
4. Once cucumbers are ready, rinse off all the salt in a colander and place them in the bowl of an airtight container or quart mason jar. Pour pepper mixture over cucumbers and stir or seal, tossing the bowl or jar a few times to ensure all pickles are coated.
5. Place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, overnight is best.
6. When ready to serve, give the pickles a quick toss or tumble of the jar. Serve with a sprinkle of optional toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

Salt Swaps:

• This recipe uses about 1/2 the salt of a traditional recipe.
• Additionally, by washing off the salt, you reduce the amount absorbed by the cucumbers in the brine.
• Overall, these pickles have far less sodium than their dill cousins, plus, they are packed with flavor from the garlic and Szechuan peppercorns.