Thai Cucumber Basil Salad

This salad was a last minute replacement for our planned dinner.  We had everything out on the corner ready to cook dinner and then we realized that we were missing cilantro.  But we already had rice in a pot cooking and I refused to order dinner because all I have eaten recently is take out.  I just couldn't stomach the idea of ordering on a night when we could cook.  So we fried up a few eggs and served them on top of the rice and whipped up a quick cucumber salad.  This salad recipe was one that I found on Serious Eats that was intended to be served with grilled salmon.  I'm wondering if my mistake was in taking the salad and assuming it could stand alone.  Because it was good, but not great.  It just felt like it was missing something.  If I were to change this recipe in some way I would perhaps swap out the basil for Thai basil to give it a little more pop.  But I'm not sure if that would save the recipe.  I think the ideal solution would be to swap out the basil for Thai basil and serve over our favorite salmon recipe with crispy skin.  I think the richness of the salmon would do a lot for the cucumber salad.  It wasn't bad, it just felt a little... one note?  Alex kept asking me if I thought that some chili peppers would help, but I'm not sure that heat is what the dish was missing.

Recipe after the jump!

Thai Cucumber Basil Salad

Adapted from Serious Eats

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 ground coriander
1 tbsp sugar
Kosher salt
2 medium Kirby cucumbers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, finely sliced

Combine garlic, lime juice, oil, fish sauce, coriander, and sugar in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add cucumbers and basil.  Stir to combine.  Season with salt.  

Serve.