This fresh Thai cucumber relish adds crunch and a pronounced sweet-and-sour note alongside richly seasoned or fried dishes. Made with rice vinegar, shallot, and chili, it’s quick to put together.
Ajaad is a fresh relish often served alongside dishes with bold spices or a crisp, fried exterior. The exact ingredients vary from recipe to recipe; here, cucumber, vinegar, sugar, and chili form the base. The aim isn’t to make the dressing sweet, but to round off some of its sharp acidity. This lets the relish cut through rich flavors without overpowering the main dish.
Cucumber is the main ingredient, so choose one that feels firm and has thin, smooth skin. Slice the cucumber thinly: the slices take up the dressing quickly, but still have a pleasant bite if marinated briefly. Shallot adds a mild onion flavor, and chili brings heat. Use a red chili for color; remove the seeds if you prefer less heat. Coriander is a fresh, optional addition and should only be added just before serving.
Rice vinegar has a milder flavor than many regular white vinegars. Use unseasoned rice vinegar if possible, so you can control how much sugar and salt goes in. The dressing should remain distinctly sour. A small amount of sugar softens the edges, while a little water makes the vinegar less sharp without making the relish taste sweet. Heat the vinegar and sugar only long enough to dissolve the sugar, then let the mixture cool before adding it to the cucumber. Warm dressing softens the slices more quickly.
The slicing technique is simple, but it makes a difference: thin, even slices mix more easily with the dressing and are easy to eat alongside larger bites of a main dish. A sharp chef’s knife works well; you can also use a mandoline, as long as you hold the cucumber firmly and keep your fingers away from the blade. Let the relish sit briefly so the shallot and cucumber can absorb the sour dressing. Marinating it for much longer will soften the cucumber and draw out moisture.
Serve ajaad with, for example, satay, grilled chicken, or a crisp-fried dish, with rice as part of a meal. Keep the rest of the plate spicy and savory; the relish provides a fresh counterpoint. It’s best not to make it much earlier than needed. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers, and use them within a day; the flavor will stay fresh, but the cucumber will gradually lose its crunch.
Slice the cucumber thinly. Peel the shallots and cut them into thin rings. Slice the chili into thin rings; remove the seeds if you want less heat.
Put the rice vinegar, sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Let the dressing cool to room temperature.
Put the cucumber, shallot, and chili in a bowl. Pour the cooled dressing over them and toss. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the coriander leaves, if using.
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