Grab a pillow and… just kidding! Cucumber. One of the most underestimated vegetables-fruits.

More old-school cooking at Kayotic Kitchen. The wonderful flavor and pureness of this dish makes up for the total lack of aesthetics.

Good food doesn’t have to be expensive, difficult or even time-consuming. Here’s what you do with a simple cucumber: turn it into a fast and flavorful atjar (Indonesian sweet and sour side dish).

This recipe is part of our rijsttafel or served with my Indonesian beef stew, but really, it’s a great side dish to pretty much any kind of rice, chicken or even fish recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers
1 small rawit pepper (or de-seeded chili pepper)
1 garlic clove
1 small shallot
1/4 tsp five spice powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp butter or oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp vinegar

Directions:

Just a handful ingredients.

 
You can leave the cucumber peeled/unpeeled. Personal preference. I peel one and leave one unpeeled, makes for a nice difference in color and texture.
 

Wash your cucumbers well.

Slice them in half, spoon out the seeds and chop them.

Mince the shallot, garlic and rawit or chili pepper—a rawit is one of those fiery, tiny peppers.

Heat the oil or butter and sauté the shallot and pepper for a minute or 2 before adding the garlic.

Add your spices and cook them along for 30 seconds.

Add the cucumber, stir well.

Pour in the vinegar and sprinkle in the sugar and salt.

 
Let the cucumber smother like this for 10 15 minutes (keep them slightly crunchy!). No longer or they will have released too much liquid. Let it cool off and serve them either at room temperature or cold.
 

I love easy and refreshing side dishes!