Filipino Cucumber & Tomato Salad (Ensaladang Pipino at Kamatis)

Ingredients

• 7 oz japanese cucumber (or other pickling cucumber, I used 1 Japanese cucumber)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes
• 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
• 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp room temperature water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 bird’s eye or other red chili (sliced)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• Freshly ground pepper
• Thinly bell peppers (green mango, green chiles)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the cucumber: slice the cucumber into thin 1/4-1/2 inch (0.6-1.25 cm) thick pieces. Place the cucumber on a basket/strainer with a catch basin. Add the salt and gently massage. Leave the cucumbers to sit for 10-15 minutes for the excess water to draw out.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by mixing everything in a bowl. Feel free to adjust the dressing to your taste and add more sugar, if desired, to cut the acidity.

3. 3

   Slice the tomatoes, onions, and other mix-ins of choice.

4. 4

   Squeeze out excess water from the cucumber and discard the excess water.

5. 5

   In a bowl, add the cucumber, mix-ins (tomatoes, onions, etc), then pour in the dressing. Mix well. Serve and enjoy!

6. 6

   You can also refrigerate this for 1-2 hours before serving so it’s cold. You can also prepare this a few days before serving. Do note that the cucumber and other mix-ins will release extra water and dilute the dressing.