In classic Hungarian cuisine there are not a lot of salads. One cookbook from 1954 has a "Vegetable and Salad" section - with few salads. A 1984 cookbook has only 8 salads.
This cucumber salad is iconic. It will appear without fail at any home-cooked feast. With a tangy - sweet flavour, it's a great accompaniment to any kind of breaded meat (think schnitzel or fried chicken) and the perfect side for Chicken Paprikas. I was not fond of it as a child since I hated cucumber seeds, but these days most of us use "English Cucumbers" which are almost seedless.
All my cookbooks have three versions of it. One is simply cucumbers; the second is similar and adds sour cream - with a sprinkling of paprika; the third adds onions - which we have never done. The family recipe I’m sharing adds some garlic - but I know some Hungarians do not add any garlic. You can eat this right away, or refrigerate it for a while. The dressing can be made ahead - same day or the day before.
Unlike a mayo salad this will be a bit “watery” - you may want to serve it with a slotted spoon or even in a separate salad bowl/nappy.
2 medium size cucumbers
1-2 tsp table salt
English cucumbers are pretty typical in their sizing - let's agree to call that "medium". Peel the cucumbers and then slice them thinly - use a mandolin if you have one.
Sprinkle the cucumbers with the salt and mix gently. Set them aside for 30-60 minutes, and meanwhile make the dressing. The salt will soften the cucumber slices and release some liquid. Squeeze the cucumbers over a colander to release the liquid (which is discarded).
3 TB vinegar
3 TB water
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 clove garlic, minced
Mix all dressing ingredients together. Adjust seasoning at this point or after mixing it with the cucumbers. Some people like it to be a bit sweeter.
Pour this over the prepared cucumbers and toss lightly. Adding sour cream is optional - and… you can add it and mix it in or add it like a garnish on the side. Ditto re how you handle the paprika - a sprinkled garnish or stir it in.
Notes and Tips...
Paprika - read my tips on buying Hungarian paprika
For KB Recipe Attribution Practices please click here.