Fried Stuffed Cucumbers

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

700 grams cucumbers (about 1 ½)

2 tablespoons cornflour

1 tablespoon oil more if needed

stuffing

225 grams fatty pork finely minced

1 tablespoon spring onions finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh ginger finely chopped

2 teaspoons dry sherry or rice wine

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small egg

sauce

300 ml chicken stock

2 tablespoons dry sherry or rice wine

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

garnish

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped

Preparation

Cut the cucumbers into 2.5 cm slices without peeling them.

Remove the seeds and pulp from the centre of each cucumber slice using a small sharp knife. Lightly dust the hollow interior of the cucumber slices with a little cornflour.

Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in a large bowl.

Then stuff each cucumber ring with this mixture.

Heat a wok or large frying pan and add the oil.

When it is moderately hot add the stuffed cucumber rings and cook them slowly until they are lightly browned.

Turn them over and brown the other side adding more oil if necessary.

You may have to do this in several batches.

When the cucumber rings are brown remove them from the oil and put them on a plate.

When you have fried all the cucumber rings wipe the wok or pan clean.

Mix the sauce ingredients and put them into a re heated wok or pan.

Bring the liquid to a simmer and then add the stuffed cucumber rings.

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer slowly for 7 minutes or until the cucumbers are completely cooked.

Transfer them to a serving platter lifting them out of the sauce with a slotted spoon.

Reduce the sauce by a third over a high heat.

Then add the sesame oil and fresh coriander.

Pour the sauce over the stuffed cucumbers and serve at once.

There are countless Chinese recipes for all kinds of stuffed vegetables. Even beancurd can be filled. Cucumbers in particular lend themselves to stuffing because their tender succulent flesh is complemented by a savoury filling. The stuffing in this recipe uses seasoned minced pork but you can use minced beef instead if you prefer. Thick cucumber slices are stuffed and then shallowfried; this seals in the flavours of the stuffing. Then the cucumbers are simmered

Serves 4