Hungarian Cucumber Salad (thing)

Cucumber Salad - Uborka Salta (u-bor-ka sha-laa-ta)


This is a Hungarian 'salad' dish - it is especially easy to make. On top of that it's super healthy no fat and light in the calorie department for those keeping track.
Some variations I've seen done to this salad are a scoop of sour cream on top (that's really good to balance out the acidy taste) or a lot more sugar than it calls for. Different regions of Hungary seem to serve this in different ways - sweet or non-sweet.
If preparing this to serve to Hungarians some things to keep in mind is ask them if they like their cucumber salad sweet or non. Hungarians do not eat salad before a meal, unless starved, it's traditional to eat it with the meal so do not feel insulted if it's left sitting there until you present your Hungarian guest with the main course.
This is also a great summer time dish very refreshing and my personal favorite - I actually make myself sick from eating too much.


This recipe will serve approximately 6 people - and takes about 20 minutes of prep time (not including the optional overnight soaking).

Ingredients

• 8 cup onions, finely chopped (if need be optional)
• 1/3 cups white vinegar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tbs. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper (freshly ground is best recommendation)
• 4 cucumbers
• 1 clove of minced garlic

• Peel the cucumbers and slice to paper thin
• mix all the ingredients till EVERYTHING (excluding the onions and cucumbers) is completely dissolved
• Add the vinegar to the cucumber slices and mix well
• sprinkle Hungarian paprika across top lightly

tips

• to make sure you succeed make sure the cucumbers are sliced thinly
• if possible the night before you have to serve the salad slice the cucumbers, salt them and let them sit in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning before you continue the recipe ring the water out of the cucumbers (gently to maintain the slices) - this will present a non-watered down taste to the finished product
• Try not to use either old (the discounted ones) or large cucumbers - if they're old you'll have 'rubumber salad' or salad with lots of seeds if you use large cucumbers
• the sugar and vinegar can balanced out until you find your desired taste combination
• when adding the sour cream it's just a small scoop onto the top and to add an added touch add a sprinkle of paprika on top of the sour cream