Spicy mint cucumber salad 辣味薄荷叶拌黄瓜

In a very lazy day, in a hot summer day, after days of greasy meat I always choose this crunch fresh dish to eat. Simply one vegetable dish with fresh mint goes super well with rice. It only takes 15mins maximum. Under the "Tips" there is a recipe for chili oil, this is very useful for salad, wonton and noodles. You can make a small jar and it can keep for a couple of weeks in the shade.
在懒散的日子里，热得没胃口的天里，或大鱼大肉之后，一盘简单的麻辣凉拌小黄瓜是最好不过的开胃菜了，它下饭啊！加上些新鲜的薄荷叶，那滋味太爽口了。页末的小贴士里有制作川味红油的步骤，这红油非常有用，馄饨面条凉拌都能用上，做上1小罐放在阴凉处可存放2星期左右。

Ingredients: 2-3 cloves garlic minced, 5 mini cucumber, 1 cup fresh mint leaf, 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp chili oil ( see "tips" home made chili oil recipe), 1/2 tsp ground Szechuan peppercorn, 1cup green onion chopped

食材：2－3瓣蒜切碎，5小黄瓜，1杯新鲜薄荷叶，1／2茶匙黑芝麻，2汤匙酱油，2汤匙黑醋，1／2茶匙盐，1／2茶匙糖，2茶匙油辣椒（参见页末小贴士油辣椒制作），1／2茶匙花椒粉，1杯香葱切碎

Instructions: 

1: Slice cucumber into thin pieces. Add minced garlic and salt. Mix everything very well and keep aside of 10 mins.

1：黄瓜切薄片。加入蒜蓉和盐后与黄瓜拌均。放置10分钟。

2: Mix the rest of all the ingredients with mint together and add into cucumber.  Set aside of 5mins after a well mixing.
2：将剩余食材混合均匀后，连同新鲜薄荷叶一起倒入黄瓜中。拌均后放置5分钟后即可。

Tips 小贴士: I highly recommend make a jar of this chili oil. Very useful in a lot ways such as soup noodle, dumplings, wonton, salad, dipping sauce. If it's saved in a jar then the ground chili powder is always at the bottom, so make sure stir well to have oil and chili mix before use. The following ingredients is for a small jar of chili oil. 强烈推荐做一小罐红油存着用，用处太多了，凉拌，做调料，汤面馄饨饺子都可以用到。存放在罐子里后辣椒粉都在罐底，用时记得要拌均匀了再用，辣椒粉和油混合后味道最好。下面的食材是做1小罐的量。

Ingredients: 2 tbsp ground dry chili powder with seeds, 1/2 tbsp ground Szechuan peppercorn, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1 star anise, 1 nutmeg (cardamon), 5-6 tbsp canola oil
食材：2汤匙带籽的干辣椒粉，1／2汤匙花椒粉，1／4茶匙小茴香，1个八角，1个草果，5－6汤匙菜籽油

Instruction:
1: Heat up the oil on high. Turn the heat off when the oil is just about to have smoke. (about 30 seconds for 5 tbsp).
1：大火热油，在油快要冒烟时关火（大约30秒）。

2: Move the pot away from the stove and leave it with oil for 1.5 mins. Add all the rest ingredients into the oil. Move everything into a jar after its cool. Cover and save it in a shade.
2：连锅带油移到一边，放凉1.5分钟。将剩余所有的食材加入油中。放凉后装入罐中密封好存与阴凉处。