Recipes with cucumbers

Chinese-style stir-fried salad greens with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and bell pepper wok-tossed with garlic, vinegar, and sugar until just wilted.

Pennsylvania-style cucumber pickles with olive oil, dry mustard, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Salt overnight, jar them up, and wait 6 weeks for a bold, mustardy pickle.

Hawaiian namasu, a Japanese-Hawaiian pickled vegetable salad with cucumber, carrot, onion, and celery in a sweet vinegar brine. Served cold with sliced smoked salmon.

Lebanese bulgur wheat salad with marinated chicken, fresh herbs, and crisp vegetables. This protein-packed tabbouleh makes a hearty, healthy main dish bursting with lemon, mint, and garlic.

A stunning cold Chinese platter of shredded vegetables, wood ear fungus, egg strips, and hand-pulled chicken, layered and dressed in a mustard-ginger-sesame-Chinkiang vinegar sauce. A showpiece salad for special occasions.

Cold cellophane noodle salad with soy-ginger marinated chicken, crisp asparagus, and cucumber in a spicy wasabi dressing. A light, refreshing Asian noodle bowl for warm weather.

Best bread and butter pickles use sliced cucumbers and onions overnight-salted, then simmered in a turmeric-yellow brown sugar brine with dry mustard. Sweet, tangy, and pantry-stable in pint jars.

Considered the national dish of Malaysia, nasi lemak is a breakfast staple in Singapore hawker centres, but is also recognised as one of the least healthy breakfast options - no surprise since lemak means 'fatty' and refers to the rich white rice cooked in coconut cream. When served with fried chicken, the dish really does pack a calorific punch. However, with a few tweaks and substitutions it is possible to create a healthier version of the dish to enjoy on weekends at home with family.

Thai-style plain fried rice with tofu, garlic, soy sauce, and white pepper, served with fresh cucumber, cilantro, chilies, and lime wedges.

Microwave orange chicken roulade with cinnamon-rice stuffing, finished with a glossy orange juice sauce and broken walnuts. A 30-minute dinner that looks dinner-party fancy.

Quick sweet pickles for canning, eight pounds of cucumbers in a sugar-vinegar brine spiced with allspice, celery seed, and mustard seed. A big-batch summer canning project.

Pasta Mexicana: a cold spinach-spaghetti pasta salad tossed with diced tomato, cucumber matchsticks, sliced avocado, salsa, and fresh cilantro. A Tex-Mex twist on summer pasta salad.

Classic chef's salad piled high with salami, cubed turkey, tomato wedges, cucumbers, and mixed greens. Served with a zesty homemade Thousand Island dressing on the side.

Old-fashioned uncooked cucumber relish with onions and vinegar. Chop, salt, pack in jars, and let time do the work. Ready after one month of curing for a tangy, crunchy condiment.

Chinese cold jellyfish salad tossed with shredded rainbow vegetables, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds. A banquet-style appetizer famous for its crunchy texture and minimalist dressing.

Another salad substitute that's both scrumptious and entertaining for dinner with family or friends.