Potato and Cucumber Salad

This is one of my late grandma’s recipes. She was a civilian chef for 19 years at an air force base in Malaysia (She was hired by the air force back in the 1960’s when the air force was hiring civilians to support the air force). Starting as a kitchen hand, she worked hard to become the head chef at the air force base. She used to cook 3 meals a day for 3000 to 5000 air force personal every other day. (She got alternative days off)

I think this dish is her creation as I have not seen the recipe anywhere else. It was one of my favourite dishes growing up, a lovely comfort. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients

Serves :8
(Vegetarian, Vegan Recipe, Gluten Free)

2 large potatoes

1 large continental cucumber or 2 medium sized Lebanese cucumber

200ml coconut milk

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ red chili (optional)

Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Potato: Clean and boil the potatoes until they are soft. I found it easier to quarter the potatoes and microwave them in a covered bowl with a little water for about 8 minutes (1000W microwave). When cool, cut the potatoes into 1 cm cubes.
2. Cucumber: Cut the cucumber into matchstick size. Avoid the seeds.
3. Red chili: Thinly slice the chili.

Cooking

1. Vegetable oil: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium sized pan.
2. Mustard seed: Add the mustard seeds and wait until they pop. The mustard seed needs to pop to release its beautiful nutty flavour.
3. Potato: add the potatoes to the mustard seed mix and stir for a few minutes.
4. Coconut milk, salt, chili: Add these ingredients and bring to boil. Once the mixture boils, take it off the heat.
5. Cucumber: Once the mixture is off the heat, add the cucumber.

I serve this salad either cold or hot, with rice and dhal. (I will publish my dhal recipe soon).

Enjoy the salad.