Name: Smashed Qukes Salad with Sesame Dressing and Spicy Oil Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 5 Qukes; 1 tsp sea salt; 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds; 1 handful coriander leaves; 2 cm ginger finely chopped; 1 garlic clove finely chopped; 1 tbs chilli flakes *to taste; 1 tsp salt flakes; 160 ml sunflower oil; 1 tbs tahini; 2 tsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp tamari sauce; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp maple syrup; 1 garlic clove minced; 1 pinch sea salt and cracked pepper

by Hetty McKinnon /Perfection Fresh Last updated on 07/10/2019

Naturally refreshing and crisp to the bite, smashing the Qukes tenderises them, giving them a pickle-like quality and preparing them to absorb maximum flavour. - Hetty McKinnon /Perfection Fresh

Ingredients

Salad

5 Qukes
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 handful coriander leaves

Spicy oil

2 cm ginger finely chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 tbs chilli flakes *to taste
1 tsp salt flakes
160 ml sunflower oil

Sesame dressing

1 tbs tahini
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp tamari sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp maple syrup
1 garlic clove minced
1 pinch sea salt and cracked pepper

Method

Step 1

Dressing: To make the dressing, combine the tahini, rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, maple syrup and garlic, and whisk to combine. If it is too thick, add a splash of water, just enough to loosen it up, so it’s a thick pouring consistency. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Step 2

Spicy oil: For the oil, place the ginger, garlic, chilli and salt in a small bowl. Heat the oil in a small pan for 3-4 minutes (the temperature should reach 165C-180C – be careful not to overheat the oil or it will burn the spices) until the oil looks thin, like the consistency of water. Turn off the heat and very carefully pour the oil over the spices. Allow to cool, and then stir before serving.
Step 3

Salad: Lay the Qukes on a chopping board, and using the side of a wide knife or a rolling pin, gently smack the cucumbers until they break apart. Tear or cut into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle generously with salt and allow to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess water. Drain off any moisture.
Step 4

Add the sesame dressing to the Qukes and toss to coat. Drizzle over the spicy oil, scatter with sesame seeds and finish with coriander. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Use a neutral oil such as grapeseed or sunflower.

You can use honey instead of maple syrup.

Making the spicy oil from scratch is optional - using store bought chilli oil or even sriracha is fine, but if you have the time, this spicy oil offers spectacular flavour and will keep in the fridge for many months.

If you like the sound of this recipe, you might also like this Cucumber Relish.