Ingredients:
SERVES 2-3 (as a side dish)
1 small head romaine or leaf lettuce, or enough salad greens for 2-3 people
2 green (spring) onions, sliced
1/2 to 1 cucumber (see cutting instructions below)
1 cup fresh coriander /cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
optional: edible flowers to garnish, such as pansies, nasturtiums, violas, or rose petals
SALAD DRESSING: (double the recipe if serving 4 or more)
1/2 cup good-quality coconut milk
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR vegetarians: use 1 Tbsp. soy sauce plus pinch salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. brown sugar
optional: 1/4 tsp. dried crushed chili

Preparation:
Place lettuce in a salad bowl along with the spring onions and basil.
Slice the cucumber lenthwise into thick matchstick-like pieces, OR for more formal occasions: Use a potato peeler and peel the cucumber into long, thin ribbons (see photo). If the slices turn out too long to eat easily, cut them in half or in thirds.
Add the cucumber and coriander to the salad bowl and toss together.
To make the dressing, stir the salad dressing ingredients together in a cup until sugar dissolves. Tip: Any extra dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks – just place in a covered jar or container.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Top with the sliced green onion and basil. Edible flowers can also be added to dress up the dish. Serve immediately.

A Note About this Dressing, + Serving Tips:

Note: Not everyone likes the taste or smell of fish sauce (as one of the reviewers of this recipe found out). If you find it offensive while still in the bottle, chances are, you probably won’t like it when combined in the dressing. In this case, I recommend following the instructions for vegetarians as stated in the recipe. Personally I love fish sauce and even use it in my non-Thai dishes (it makes a terrific Ceasar salad!).
When making this salad for dinner parties, prepare the dressing and bowl of greens ahead of time, keeping them separate. When ready to eat, toss salad with the dressing and plate it up, adding the onion and basil on top plus one or two edible flowers to each plate or bowl.
Note that thicker coconut milks will become somewhat solid when refrigerated. If you’ve refrigerated the salad dressing, simply take it out a few minutes early and let it sit at room temperature. Then give it a stir and it’s ready to use. ENJOY!

Ingredients:
1 English cucumber OR 2 field cucumbers (if using organic, leave the skin on; otherwise, wash well or peel it off)
1 shallot, minced (OR substitute 1/4 cup minced purple onion)
2 green (spring) onions, finely sliced
1 fresh red chili, de-seeded and minced fine, OR 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup ground or roughly chopped dry roasted peanuts
DRESSING:
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (vegetarians: see alternate recipe link below)
juice of 1/2 lime
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 to 1+1/2 tsp. sugar

 
Preparation:
For a ‘quick & easy’ version of this recipe, see my Even Easier Thai Cucumber Salad Recipe.

For a Vegetarian/Vegan version of this recipe, see my Vegetarian Thai Cucumber Salad Recipe (Vegan).

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then repeat with each half until you have a number of long strips. Now slice the other way to create bite-size rectangular chunks. Place in a salad bowl.
Add the shallot, green onion, chili/red pepper, and coriander to the salad bowl (keep back a little extra coriander for a garnish).
Combine the dressing ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve the shrimp paste. Taste-test it for sweet-sour balance, adding more sugar if it’s too sour for your taste. Tip: Note that the dressing will taste quite salty and pungent now, but will be perfect once combined with the salad.
Pour dressing over the salad and toss well.
To serve, scoop or slide salad onto a serving platter or place in a serving bowl. Top with the ground/chopped peanuts, plus extra coriander. If desired, garnish with a slice of lime. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

If serving this salad as the main course, add 1 cup cooked baby shrimp as a protein source.
Note that the longer this salad sits, the more liquid will gather at the bottom of the bowl or plate (some of this is juice from the cucumber – the rest is the dressing). If you want to make it ahead of time, just be sure to re-toss the salad before serving. This salad is best eaten the same day you make it. ENJOY!