I wont lie to you these are fiddly to make, but they are not a painful as you would think and once you get on a roll you can knock them out quite quickly. You can make them an hour or so in advance and store them in the refrigerator, but make sure you bring them back to room temperature before you serve them.
Cucumber Wraps
Cucumber Wraps
Makes about 50
Ingredients
16 oz Pork Tenderloin (or Chicken or Tofu, see my note on the simple version) 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 2 shallots finely chopped (or 1/2 yellow onion) 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 cup water chestnuts chopped 1/2 cup bamboo shoots chopped 1/4 cup lite soy sauce 1/3 cup hoi sin sauce 1 tablespoon malt vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch 7 mini cucumbers Method
Chop the pork very finely. You can throw it in the food processor and grind it and to be honest I have done this when I am really pushed for time, but I prefer the texture when you chop it. Play around and work out which way you prefer. In a non stick fry pan, add the oil, shallots and garlic. If you prefer you can use a regular fry pan with non stick spray. Sauté the garlic and shallots until transparent, one or two minutes. Add the pork and cook for another couple of minutes until it is cooked but not browned. Add the water chestnuts and bamboo shoots and stir until combined. Combine the soy sauce, hoi sin sauce, vinegar and sugar and add to the pork mixture. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with two or three tablespoons or water. Add the corn starch mixture to the pork and simmer until thickened. Using a vegetable peeler, peel thin slices of cucumber. Wrap each slice around your finger to form small tubes. If they are not sticking you can dip them in cold water, or if they are really obstinate stick them with a toothpick. Fill each tube with a small amount of the filling and serve.
