To make the
cucumber garnish, cut the cucumber into a 7.5cm or 3in strip, 2cm or
3/4in wide. Make 5 even cuts along the strip, 12mm or 1/2in in from one
end. Curl the second and fourth strips towards the base to form an open
loop. The same cucumber strip can be spread out to form an attractive
fan shape. To make the carrot garnish, peel the carrot and cut into 6mm
or 1/4in slices. Trim the slices into rectangles, 2cm or 3/4in x 7.5cm
or 3in. Make a 6mm or 1/4in cut along one edge of the carrot so that the
strip is still joined. Make a second cut in the other direction, again
so that the strip is joined. Bend the two ends together so that they
cross over. This garnish can also be fashioned with giant white radish,
cucumber and lemon peel.
Presentation
is an important part of South-east Asian cooking. These vegetable
decorations are easily prepared.