Tzatziki, cocktails, salads – you’re probably no stranger to cucumber in these dishes and drinks. This hydrating and refreshing fruit (yes, cucumber is a fruit), is often used as a cooling element, but can you cook cucumber? If you’re already grossed out by the thought of the taste alone, then you might think that cooking cucumber is criminal. But if you’re curious enough, you’ll learn that it’s actually great in warm dishes when used cleverly.

Cucumbers retain lots of water. Drawing out that moisture is essential before you toss them in the pan and begin your stir-fry…

Can You Cook Cucumber?

As someone who’s mildly obsessed with cucumber – perhaps an understatement; my partner would argue that I go through at least a cucumber a week – I’ll admit that cooking it wouldn’t normally be my first instinct, but here we are.

Cucumber has always been a personal favourite – whether enjoyed in a sambal or raita or served on Bakers’ Salticrax with cheddar and heaps of pepper. Post-school snacks often consisted of crustless white bread with slender slices of cucumber glued together by a schmear of butter – I call it the Queens’ Girl Dinner, but cucumber sandwiches are simply peasantry disguised as poshness. Nonetheless, I’d savour every bite of it because I am and have always been obsessed with cucumber – except when cooked.

Cool or Cooked?

When I first tried cooked cucumber, it reminded me of my aversion to warm gherkins on burgers, but after tasting it in stir fry and Bodega Ramen’s Miso Pork Charsu, I’ve strongly reconsidered. While many types of cucumber species exist globally, in South Africa, the main commercially sold varieties are English, Mediterranean and snacking/mini cucumbers.

Cucumbers are categorised as one of three types based on the purpose and intended use: brining, slicing and seedless or burpless. Why burpless, you ask? Because the outer skin of certain species is believed to induce gas/burping.

Gherkins are often associated with cucumbers, and while both are gorgeous, green fruits, pickles aren’t the only fresh produce cucumbers are related to. Believe it or not, cucumbers are botanically classified as gourds, so they’re cousins to baby marrow/zucchini, pumpkins, watermelon and sweet melon or ‘cantaloupe’ – perhaps not all that surprising since cucumbers have that honeydew-like taste.

With nearly 100 unique varieties, you might want to try different methods of cooking cucumber. Sautéing, pickling and puréeing are some ways you can cook cucumber. If you’re slightly curious about the taste and texture of cooked cucumber, we suggest sautéing it with a dash of sesame oil for a slight nutty, umami flavour. While soggy cucumbers sound unappetising, cooked cucumbers are surprisingly delicious with a bit of preparation.

How To Cook Cucumber

Much like its gourd cousin, watermelon, one of many reasons cucumbers remain a widely appreciated fruit is due to its hydrating properties. Because of this, cucumbers retain lots of water. Drawing out that moisture is essential before you toss them in the pan and begin your stir-fry – nothing a generous sprinkle of salt won’t fix.

Slice the cucumbers and sprinkle them with salt – about a teaspoon for every half-kilo of cucumber. Allow enough time for the water to be extracted from the cucumbers  – 20 to 30 minutes will do the trick. Also, the last thing you want is salty cucumbers; once ready, rinse them with water in a colander. Finally, dry the cucumbers with a clean kitchen towel.

Some people might prefer to remove the seeds before popping them into the pan, while others want the soft inner bits with the outer crunch. It all boils down to preference and taste, which texture can play a big role in. If removing the seeds, cut the cucumber in half, lengthwise, and then scoop out the seeds with a spoon before slicing them.

If you’re new to cooked cucumber, think of it as a baby marrow or ‘zucchini’, but with more water and less firmness. They taste exactly like cool cucumbers, but the heat definitely changes the texture, which is why it’s important to extract as much of it as possible. Ensure that the cucumbers are sufficiently dried before adding oil to a pan and sautéing them. If paired with Asian-style dishes, sesame oil is a great choice, otherwise, neutral oils work just as well. Try to get a slight char on them to really ramp up the flavour.

Have you tried to cook cucumber? Would you try it?

Want more? Check out our Seasonal Fruit & Veg Chart to cook with the seasons.