Cucumber Salad with Peanut and Lime

This cool summer salad is an adaptation by FamilyStyle Food blog, and was originally published in How to Cook Indian by Sanjeev Kapoor (April, 2011). Karen of FamilyStyle Food blog writes of this recipe, "I love the utter simplicity of this salad. With just a few spices, a hit of citrus, toasty peanuts and a sweet exotic touch of coconut, cucumbers are transformed into something complex and unordinary. Be warned, it’s a slightly addictive little salad."

Cucumber Salad with Peanut and Lime
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 slicing cucumber, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 Serrano pepper or 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon organic evaporated cane sugar (can substitute with honey or agave)
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil (or olive oil)
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions
1. Put the cucumber, chile pepper, peanuts, 2 tablespoons of the coconut, lime juice and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a small saute pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to sizzle and pop, stir in the cumin, salt and remaining 2 tablespoons coconut. Turn off the heat.
3. Pour the mustard seed mixture over the cucumbers and toss everything together. Taste to make sure it's salty-sweet enough for your taste.