Cucumber salads with a refreshing twist: Add coriander seeds

Cucumber, a plant from the gourd family, originates from Asia. Wild varieties still grow at the foothills of the Himalayas. Three thousand years before our era, it was cultivated by the inhabitants of India. Over time, it spread to Egypt, Greece, and the Apennine Peninsula. In the Roman Empire, cucumber was valued for its refreshing qualities and was eagerly consumed as a snack, especially on hot days.

Cucumber did not lose its popularity in the following centuries either. This is evidenced by Christopher Columbus taking the plant's seedlings on his ships. He planted them in Haiti, and shortly afterward, this juicy vegetable was already being eaten in both Americas.

Many enthusiasts also enjoy fresh cucumber salads. Add onions, peppers, avocados, or ginger, and enrich the salad with various sauces.

Cucumbers should be enhanced in each case with an ideally compatible ingredient: coriander seeds. These seeds give the salads a pleasant, slightly citrusy flavor.

Cucumber salads are not only tasty but also healthy. This juicy vegetable consists of 95 percent water, is low in calories, and quenches thirst very well. At the same time, it provides valuable nutrients, such as phenolic compounds. The most noteworthy are flavonoids (which positively affect the circulatory system by strengthening blood vessels and lowering blood pressure) and lignans—phytoestrogens that have anti-cancer properties, reduce harmful LDL cholesterol levels, and alleviate menopause-related ailments.

Cucumbers contain vitamins C and B and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They also have alkalizing properties, effectively neutralizing excess acids in the body. Long-term acidity can result in many ailments, including weakened immunity, headaches, constant fatigue, and drowsiness.

Cucumber salads should be enriched with coriander seeds, which impress with their spicy-nutty orange flavor and aroma and are also a treasure trove of essential oils. Especially noteworthy is linalool, which has anti-inflammatory, calming, anxiolytic, and relaxing properties. It also acts as an antispasmodic on the smooth muscles of the digestive tract, stimulating appetite, improving intestinal peristalsis, and helping with stomach pain, bloating, or diarrhea.

Coriander seeds are a rich source of vitamin C and other antioxidants, strengthening immunity and neutralizing harmful free radicals. These free radicals accelerate the body's aging process and contribute to the development of many serious diseases, including cancer.

The compounds in coriander seeds can help lower bad LDL cholesterol, aid lipid digestion, and protect against cardiovascular diseases. Coriander seed components also support insulin secretion, helping to maintain proper glucose levels.

Preparing cucumber salads is very simple, especially in the traditional mizeria. Start by washing and peeling one pound of fresh cucumbers (though in some recipes, the skin is left on). Slice them into thin pieces or half-slices, sprinkle with salt, mix, and set aside for 15 minutes. After this time, pour off the produced juice. This step is recommended for any dish with fresh cucumbers.

In a bowl, combine 1 cup of 18-percent cream (without unnecessary additives like thickeners and stabilizers), a little sugar, salt, pepper, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (a teaspoon), and finely chopped dill (a few sprigs). Mix everything well. Pour the resulting sauce over the cucumbers and sprinkle with coriander seeds. Chill in the refrigerator.

Apart from coriander, you can also add thinly sliced peppers (e.g., jalapeño), white or red onions, garlic, avocado, or chives to the sliced, salted, and drained cucumbers. Mix the salad with a sauce based on rice vinegar and agave syrup or soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar (all ingredients in similar proportions). Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds or finely chopped peanuts.