![](https://togetherwomenrise.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/SriLanka_CucumberSalad.jpg)
Serves 4 – 6, depending on the size of the cucumbers.
Ingredients
2 – 3 medium‐sized cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1 – 2t salt
3 scallions, thinly sliced
¼t red pepper flakes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional, recommended)
½ ‐ ¾c coconut milk (the thicker the better – and I used full fat)
1 – 2T lemon juice
Directions
Place a layer of cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle with some of the salt. Repeat until you have
used up all the slices. Allow to sit, to draw out some of the water from the cucumbers, for about an hour.
Press on the cucumbers at the end of an hour to help remove more liquid, then rinse briefly but thoroughly, tossing with your hands and drain very well (I even dried mine with some towels.). Place
cucumbers and scallions in a bowl large enough to accommodate tossing the salad. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well to combine. The dressing should be fairly thick. Allow
to rest for 10 minutes, then add to cucumber/scallion mixture. Toss well and serve within an hour or two
if possible. It will still be fine after that, the dressing will just be thinner.
Country:
Sri Lanka
Notes and Instructions
There are lots of sambol recipes on the first site listed above and they are infinitely flexible. This one reminds me of an old‐fashioned cucumber and onion salad my Dad used to make, only coconut milk is used instead of sour cream, and lemon juice instead of vinegar. The adding of the lemon juice to the coconut neutralizes its flavor an you are left with a lovely, creamy dressing. It is cucumber season in most of the U.S. now, so enjoy some fresh cucumbers from your farmer’s market and support your local farmers! Serve at room temperature because coconut milk solidifies somewhat when it gets too cold.