Here’s a delicious snack which is served all over mainland China. It’s great with beer, as a side dish or as part of a banquet. There are many variations of this dish – some use peanuts with skins, others might include onions – you can find your own favourite. I made this one with shallots, dried chillies and cucumber.
You can use roasted or deep-fried peanuts. Mine were dry-roasted and I toasted them a little more to bring out their flavour. In a small saucepan, heat a little oil and fry some finely chopped shallots until they wilt a little. Add some dried chillies, cut or torn into pieces, and allow them to darken a bit. Lastly, add 1 finely minced clove of garlic and remove from the heat immediately. Combine with the peanuts and add some chopped cucumber, 3 tablespoons of aged black vinegar, ½ a tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Enjoy!
michelle picker cooks 