Thai Crunch Salad

Thai Crunch Salad is a great way to use the zucchini and cucumbers from your garden.
Thai Crunch Salad is a great way to use the zucchini and cucumbers from your garden.

If you’re still getting lots of zucchini and cucumbers in your garden, here’s a great Thai Crunch Salad to add to your repertoire of zucchini recipes. I shared it in my Standard-Examiner column. I served it this summer at a weekly tennis night and a family reunion, and people seemed to like it.

When a recall on tainted cucumbers was announced, I felt relieved not to have to worry, since mine come straight from my garden.

I think the peanut dressing really sets the salad apart, but if you mix it beforehand, the salad turns a dull muddy tan, which isn’t very appealing. So let people add their own just before eating it. If you’re not a fan of peanut dressing, try raspberry vinaigrette or ranch.

Not a lot of zucchini recipes show off the raw version. And many zucchini recipes focus more on camouflaging the zucchini. So this one is a little different — and healthy too.

Thai Crunch Salad

1 small zucchini, diced or julienned

1 medium cucumber, diced or julienned

1 16-ounce bag cole slaw mix

1 cup shredded or julienned carrots

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, cooked and cooled

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Toss all ingredients together. Makes about 10 2-cup servings. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of Peanut Sauce over each serving.

Valerie Phillips

Peanut Sauce

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used creamy)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder or 1 teaspoon chopped green onions

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you want more heat)

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, optional

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place all the ingredients together in a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the peanut butter melts. Mix well with a whisk or fork until the peanut butter is well-blended.

Taste, and if needed, add more pepper flakes, peanut butter, sugar, or soy sauce to get the flavor you desire.

The sauce will thicken when it cools. Makes about 1 1/2 cups dressing to use with Thai Crunch Chopped Salad.

Options: If you don’t have red pepper flakes, you can mix in a little sriracha or hot sauce, or red pepper jelly, to taste.