Asian-Style Cucumber Slaw

This is a recipe that my husband, Mike, pulled out of a magazine and brought home to me.  It took me awhile to actually make it (I think I was thrown off a bit by some of the "unusual" ingredients but they actually were not that tough to find), but when I did--YUM!  My kids are not as fond of this as the article proclaimed (one son asked me to use Italian dressing instead next time I make it--might have to give that a try), but the adults in my family love it and it goes well with almost anything!

From: Good Housekeeping, August 2003, pg. 168 (yourGoodHouseguide)

home cooking
"My kids loved this salad!"
The Alleman family of Sierra Vista, Arizona, recently visited Quark's Bar & Restaurant at the Las Vegas Hilton's Star Trek: The Experience.  "We enjoyed everything," says mom Cindy, but the slaw was truly "out of this world."  Now her family is begging her to make it at home.  GH tracked down the recipe.

Asian Style Cucumber Slaw
Prep 10 minutes plus chilling
Makes 6 cups or 12 accompaniment servings

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
3 medium English (seedless) cucumbers (2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, lightly toasted

1. In a medium bowl, stir rice vinegar, vinegar, sugar, Thai chili sauce, and 1/2 cup cold water.
2. Cut unpeeled cucumbers into 2-inch lengths.  With food processor or mandolin with large julienne blade attached, or with chef's knife, cut cucumbers into 1/4-inch-wide, matchstick-thin strips.
3. Add cucumber strips to dressing in bowl; toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight to blend flavors, stirring occasionally.
4. To serve, thoroughly drain cucumber strips; transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Each serving: About 20 calories, 1 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 0 g total fat, 1 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium.

MMWM Notes:  
* One day my husband ate one of the cucumbers I purchased to make this salad so I had to improvise--used three large carrots and, after peeling the first layer, continued to shave the carrots down into slivers and threw it in with the cucumbers.  Made a tasty variation for this recipe!
* I used a regular knife to cut the cucumber strips...not exactly sure what qualifies as a "chef's knife" but the regular one worked fine...although it does take me longer to do all the cutting when it's by hand.
* I'm a little bugged when a recipe does not include sugar in the nutrition information.  However, it is clear there is sugar in this recipe.  I'm assuming that a sugar substitute could be used in place of the actual sugar, as desired.
* Look for the rice vinegar and Thai sweet chili sauce in the store where they have Asian items such as soy sauce.  Black sesame seeds might be there too or in the spices aisle.

Here is my photo of the Asisan-Style Cucumber Slaw...