Â鶹ԼÅÄ

**Garlic chicken & cucumber**
450g chicken breast skinned
450gcucumber
2 tspÌý salt
1 tbspÌý rapeseed oil
1½ tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbspÌý spring onions finely chopped
1 tbsp lightÌý soy sauce
1 tbspÌý Dry sherry
Ìý1tsp chilli powder
2 tspÌý sesame oil

Cut the chicken into 2.5cm cubes and set aside.
Peel the cucumber, halve it and remove the seeds with a teaspoon. Then cut it into 2.5cm cubes, sprinkle with salt and put the cucumber into a colander to drain for 10 minutes.
(This removes the excess moisture from the cucumber).
Next rinse the cucumber cubes in running cold water and blot them dry with kitchen paper.
Heat a wok or large frying pan until very hot.
Add the oil until slightly smoking, add the chicken cubes and stir-fry them for a few seconds.
Add all the other ingredients except the cucumber and continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
Now add the cucumber cubes and keep stir-frying the entire mixture for another 3 minutes. Serve at once.

**Cucumber martini**
5cm piece cucumber , plus an extra slice to serve
1 tspÌý white sugar
25ml premium vodka
25ml normal vodka

Place the cucumber and sugar into a cocktail shaker and crush (muddle) with the end of a rolling pin.
Add the vodkas and shake well.
Double strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a cucumber slice and serve.

1Ìý cucumber
1 tbspÌý salt
75ml rice wine vinegar
2 tbspÌý sugar
1 red chilli , seeds removed, finely sliced
2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted in a dry frying pan, lightly crushed
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp finely chopped freshÌý coriander leaves
ÌýSalt & pepper
For the pickled cucumber, peel alternate lengths of the cucumber, so that it has a stripy skin.
Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and slice the flesh thinly on the diagonal.
Place the cucumber slices into a bowl with the salt and mix well. Set aside for 30 minutes.
When the cucumber has marinated, heat the rice wine vinegar and sugar in a non-reactive saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.
Rinse the salt from the cucumber slices, transfer them to a clean tea towel and squeeze any excess water from the cucumber.
Add the cucumber slices to the vinegar mixture and stir until well combined. Stir in the chilli and coriander seeds. Cover the saucepan with cling film and set aside until needed.

Ìý

**Cucumber Raita**

•Ìý250ml/8fl oz natural yoghurtÌý
•Ìý½ cucumber , grated or finely chopped
•Ìýlarge handfulÌý mint leaves, chopped
•Ìýlarge pinchÌý salt
•Ìý½-1 greenÌý chilliÌý de-seeded and finely chopped (optional)

Preparation method
1.ÌýWrap the grated cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze out any excessÌý water
2.ÌýMix together all the ingredients and serve chilled as an accompaniment to any curry or as a dip for poppadoms.