Cucumber bounty calls for creativity, and this sweet and spicy salad

You will love the simplicity of this delicious dish, which started amid a flourishing garden of fresh cucumbers.

Usually, my tomatoes grow like crazy, but this year it was cucumbers. I had just picked about 25 of them and, other than sharing with friends and family, I wanted to come up with something different to make with cucumbers as the main ingredient.

So, I grabbed a few and this dish was born. It was definitely a hit, and I have made it several times already in the past couple of weeks.

You can make it spicier by adding some dried chili peppers. Also, with just a few ingredients, it is a great last-minute side dish with a beautiful presentation. When serving it to company, I like to sprinkle it with fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley right before serving. Enjoy!

• Karen Nochimowski is the author of the cookbook “6-Minute Dinners (& More!),” featuring more than 100 simple recipes. Karen also started and runs Momma Chef’s Soup Kitchen and Momma Chef’s Little Free Pantries. Part of her cookbook proceeds go toward feeding those facing food insecurity. Find her book on Amazon.

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Sweet and Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

3 Japanese, Persian, or small English Cucumbers

3 tablespoons rice or apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons soy sauce, regular or gluten-free

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon chili sauce or sriracha

Slice the cucumbers thin and throw all of the ingredients above into a large Ziploc bag.

Close the bag and shake to combine all ingredients and coat the cucumbers.

Refrigerate and let the cucumbers sit in the marinade for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

Serve as is or sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or parsley.

— Karen Nochimowski