Hungarian Cucumber Salad (Uborka saláta)

Recipe as written from Culinary Hungary (with permission):
Hungarian cucumber salad (Uborka saláta) is typically eaten with many heavy, meat-centric meals (like most Hungarian meals) and we eat this salad a little differently than other nations typically do.

Usually, instead of eating a salad as an appetizer, we eat this right along side our main meal, alternating bites to get something heavy and something light at the same time.

There are variations on this salad that include raw, minced garlic, and some don’t use sour cream. My family makes this salad without sour cream; my husband’s family always mixes it with sour cream. It is up to you. You can have it both ways.

Also, make sure to slice the cucumbers thin enough. To get the thinnest possible see-through slices, use a mandolin slicer.

Recipe

Ingredients for 4 people:

2 large English cucumbers

250 ml (1 cup) of water

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of 10% white vinegar

sweet paprika powder (to sprinkle)

ground black pepper (to sprinkle)

salt

Directions:

Peel the cucumbers and, using a mandolin slicer, slice both cucumbers as thinly as possible into a bowl. Add the salt and mix the cucumbers slices to lightly and evenly coat them. Let sit for 30 minutes to draw out the water from the cucumbers.

The cucumbers will release about ½+ cup of liquid. Then, take large handfuls of cucumbers and, with your hands clenched, squeeze out as much liquid as you can and place the balls of squeezed cucumbers in a bowl. Discard the liquid.

In a cup, combine the sugar, the vinegar, and the water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add this mixture to the squeezed cucumbers and mix thoroughly. Add the chopped garlic, sprinkle with paprika powder and ground black pepper.

The vinaigrette is so light and refreshing, that you will be tempted to drink it after you eat the cucumber salad.

Enjoy!

Patti’s Notes

I put the sliced cucumber in a strainer over a bowl.  It’s amazing how much liquid comes out!

I did not squeeze the cucumber into balls.  I just gently squeezed them between the palms of my hands and left them in circles.  My vinegar was only 5% so I doubled the amount.  (I didn’t even know vinegar came in percentages!  And I don't know if it works that way but they turned out good so I'll go with it!)  
Super delicious! You can store it in jars or air tight containers.  It makes a pretty gift too.

~Source - Connie and I took a cooking class in Budapest Hungary at Culinary Hungary.  We did not make this recipe in class but I found it on their website and it sounded good so I made it when I made the Hungarian Goulash Soup. I've also made it many times since.