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Easy to assemble but far from basic, this cucumber salad delivers a riot of flavors and textures with snappy cucumbers, velvety peanut sauce, crunchy cilantro-peanut topping and zingy chile oil The details make all the difference: First, salting the cucumbers mutes the fruit’s subtly bitter notes while heightening flavor Next, the simple peanut sauce adds richness to the cool cucumbers

Cucumber Salad With Roasted Peanuts and Chile Recipe

Persian cucumbers (about 1 pound), cut lengthwise into thin spears, then cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

Kosher salt

salted, roasted peanuts

cilantro leaves

red-pepper flakes

natural unsalted peanut butter

soy sauce

unseasoned rice vinegar

granulated sugar

small garlic clove, grated

Chile oil, store-bought or homemade, for serving

152 calories

Toss cucumbers with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander. Set aside to drain.

Chop peanuts, cilantro and red-pepper flakes together until very fine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Add up to 1 tablespoon water, if needed to thin mixture. Transfer salted cucumbers to the bowl with dressing and toss to coat.

To serve, place half the cucumber salad on the plate, sprinkle with half the peanut mixture. Repeat with the remaining cucumber salad and peanut mixture. Drizzle with chile oil, if using, and serve immediately.