Cucumber is a common food in the kitchen of every family, and if you know how to prepare it, you can create very delicious and appealing dishes, especially stir-fried dishes. Let’s get cooking with TasteVN to learn 4 unique ways to stir-fry cucumbers, rich in flavor with just a few very simple steps!
1. Stir-fried cucumber with mushrooms and pork
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Stir-fried cucumber with mushrooms and pork Serves 4
Pork 200 gr Enoki mushrooms 100 gr (1 pack) Cucumber 3 fruits Seasoning powder 2 teaspoons MSG 1/2 teaspoon Sugar 1 teaspoon
How to choose good pork
- You should choose pork that has a bright pink color, no strange smell, with translucent white fat; do not choose meat that is pale and has a foul smell.
- You can press the meat with your hand; if you observe that the meat bounces back immediately, does not leave a dent, the piece of meat is dry and does not stick to your hand, this indicates that it is good meat.
- Good pork should have even fibers, be firm, and not leak juices or be slimy.
- When buying meat, you should ask the seller to cut the meat along the fibers and avoid choosing meat that has small white bags interspersed among the meat fibers as it may indicate that the meat is infected with cysts, which can negatively affect your health when consumed.
See details: How to choose fresh, clean, quality pork
How to make Stir-fried cucumber with mushrooms and pork
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Prepare the pork
When you buy pork, use salt to scrub the surface of the meat, then rinse with water about 2 – 3 times, drain and cut the meat into thin slices for easy eating.
How to prepare pork without odor
- When you buy pork, you need to scrape off the hair on the skin or you can also ask the seller to scrape it off for you to save time.
- You should soak the pork in diluted salt water for about 15 minutes. After soaking, rinse well with cold water about 3 – 4 times.
- You can also use a mixture of salt and vinegar to wash the pork, which helps to better eliminate the odor of the pork!
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Prepare other ingredients
After buying cucumbers, soak them in salted water for 10 minutes, then cut them in half and slice them into bite-sized pieces about 2 cm thick.
Mushrooms should be cut off at the stem, then soaked in rice water for about 10 minutes, rinsed clean, drained, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Wash the scallions and chop them finely.
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Stir-fry cucumbers
Place a pan on the stove, add cooking oil and wait for it to heat up, then add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant.
Once the garlic is aromatic, add all the pork to the pan, stir-fry over medium to high heat until the pork is slightly firm, then add about 1/3 teaspoon of seasoning to the pan, stirring evenly for the pork to absorb the flavor for about 2 minutes.
Next, add the cucumbers and mushrooms, then add 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the pan, stirring well for another 5 minutes to let everything absorb the seasoning and cook through. Finally, add a little ground pepper and chopped scallions to the pan, then turn off the heat.
Transfer the stir-fried cucumbers with mushrooms and pork to a plate, decorate for a nice presentation, and you’re done.
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Final Product
The stir-fried cucumber with meat and mushrooms has a harmonious color. The pork is tender, the mushrooms are chewy and delicious, evenly soaked in seasoning, eaten with crispy and sweet cucumbers, truly a perfect combination. This dish can be served with white rice and a little garlic chili soy sauce, ensuring that the family meal will be full of flavor!
2. Stir-fried cucumber with fish cake
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Preparation
40 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Stir-fried cucumber with fish cake For 4 people
Cucumber 2 pieces Fish cake 300 gr (pre-fried) Seasoning powder 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar 1 tablespoon MSG 1/2 tablespoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Ground pepper 10 gr
How to choose good fish cakes
You can buy fish to fillet or pre-filleted fish to make fish cakes at home. In addition, you can also buy ready-made fish cakes that are delicious and safe thanks to a few signs below:
- Good fish cakes when cut will have a translucent white color, not cloudy. You should not choose pieces of fish cakes where the inside has unusual colors such as yellowing, green, or purplish, and should not be sticky or have a strange smell.
- Fresh and delicious fish cakes usually have a faint characteristic aroma of fish along with spices.
- The surface has many pores, making the fish cake look smooth and slightly moist. If the fish cakes do not have these pores, it means that the fish cake has been mixed with flour and made from low-quality meat.
- You can buy ready-made fish cakes at reputable supermarkets or convenience stores or buy fish to grind yourself or buy fresh fish cakes and fry them at home.
How to prepare Stir-fried cucumber with fish cakes
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Prepare the ingredients
After buying cucumbers, soak them in saltwater for about 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with cold water, and proceed to cut the cucumbers into thin slices about 1cm thick.
Blanch the sliced cucumbers in boiling water for about 1 minute, then remove and place in an bowl of ice water.
Tip: Blanching cucumbers in boiling water helps them maintain their beautiful green color when stir-frying.
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Prepare the fish cake
Wash the fish cake thoroughly with water about 2 – 3 times, then blanch it in boiling water or briefly fry the fish cake.
Tip: Briefly blanching or frying the fish cake helps eliminate the fishy smell, making the fish cake taste better after cooking.
After preparation, cut the fish cake into bite-sized pieces.
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Stir-fry the cucumber
Place a pan on the stove, add cooking oil, and when the oil is hot, add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
When the garlic is evenly golden, add the fish cake and stir-fry until firm, then add the cucumber, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of white sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, and 10g of ground pepper into the pan and stir-fry for another 5 minutes until the cucumber and fish cake absorb the seasoning, then turn off the heat.
Tip
- It is advisable to stir-fry the cucumber over high heat to prevent it from releasing water.
- Do not let the cucumber cook too much as it will lose its crunchiness.
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Finished Dish
A simple yet appealing dish with chewy, flavorful fish cake, crisp and sweet cucumber that absorbs the flavor, ensuring that the family meal is even more delicious!
3. Stir-fried Cucumber with Garlic
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Preparation
40 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Stir-fried Cucumber with Garlic Serves 4
Cucumber 400 gr Garlic 20 gr (1 bulb) Spring onion 2 stalks Roasted sesame 10 gr Seasoning powder 1 teaspoon Chicken seasoning 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 1/2 tablespoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Spring onion 2 stalks Garlic 2 cloves
Ingredient Image
How to Prepare Stir-Fried Cucumbers with Garlic
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Prepare the Ingredients
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly, remove the seeds, and cut the cucumbers into slices about 1cm thick.
Marinate the cucumbers with 1/2 spoon of salt for about 15 minutes to let them release some water and absorb the seasoning.
Peel the garlic, crush it, and then finely chop it. Chop the green onions.
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Stir-Fry the Cucumbers
Place a pan on the stove, add cooking oil and wait for it to heat up, then add the chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant.
When the garlic starts to turn golden, add the cucumbers. Next, add 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of seasoning granules, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce to the pan. Stir well and stir-fry the cucumbers over high heat for about 5 – 7 minutes until they are evenly cooked. Finally, add the chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds, stir well and turn off the heat.
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Final Product
The plate of stir-fried cucumber with garlic after completion has a beautiful green color, when eaten the cucumber is crispy and sweet, perfectly absorbing the seasoning and wonderfully fragrant with garlic!
4. Stir-fried baby cucumbers
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
15 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Stir-fried baby cucumbers For 4 people
Baby cucumbers 0.5 kg (or large sticky cucumbers) Garlic 1 bulb Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Salt 1/2 tablespoon
How to Cook Stir-Fried Baby Cucumbers
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Prepare Ingredients
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly to remove dirt, then soak them in diluted salt water for about 15 minutes.
If using large cucumbers, remove the stem and leave the skin on, then slice them into small pieces. After slicing, place the cucumbers in a bowl, and mix well with half a tablespoon of salt to absorb the seasoning.
Peel and finely chop the garlic, using slightly more garlic for a fragrant stir-fry.
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Stir-Fry Cucumbers
Heat a pan on the stove and add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant before adding the cucumbers and stir-frying on high heat.
Next, season with an additional tablespoon of oyster sauce to taste, stir well, and cook just enough so that the cucumbers remain crispy without becoming mushy.
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Finished Product
So you have completed the stir-fried baby cucumbers dish. With each crunchy, sweet cucumber piece, evenly soaked in spices combined with the fragrant smell of garlic, it will surely be a favorite dish for many people.
Tips for choosing fresh cucumbers
- Choose cucumbers that are bright green, fairly uniform in color, and free of blemishes or yellowing, as these are signs that the cucumbers have been stored for too long and may be starting to rot.
- Cucumbers should be straight, with little to no curvature. Long, uniformly sized cucumbers are the type that is firm and crunchy, which taste better than short, round cucumbers.
- It is advisable to select heavier cucumbers with a smooth skin, free from bumps, and smaller ones tend to be sweeter than larger cucumbers.
- Avoid purchasing cucumbers that are swollen, large in the middle, or have a big head with a small tail (and vice versa) as these are overripe cucumbers that have many seeds, are tough, and not tasty.
- If you accidentally buy bitter cucumbers, you can peel them to remove the bitter taste.
Tips for preparing cucumbers without bitterness
- Cut off both ends of the cucumber and rub the ends vigorously in a circular motion until a white foam appears. Remove this white foam as it contains the bitter compounds.
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Sprinkle a little salt on the cut side of one half and rub the halves against each other until the white foam appears. Then wash the cucumber thoroughly with water and enjoy.
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TasteVN hopes that with the 4 ways to make stir-fried cucumbers above, you will successfully create a dish that is very simple, unique in flavor, yet equally delicious and appealing to treat the whole family!
