Spicy Cucumber Salad
Here’s a simple yet really refreshing Spicy Cucumber Salad with a kick from the chili oil and bold flavours from the mix of garlic, soy sauce, and Chinese black vinegar. It’s also infused with some sesame oil and sesame seeds for that extra bite.
Ingredients
- 280 g Japanese cucumbers I used 2
- 3/4 tsp salt
Sauce/Dressing
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp light soy sauce , regular soy sauce is okay too
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1/2-1 tbsp black vinegar or Chinkiang vinegar see notes
- 2 tsp chili garlic sauce or chili oil adjust to your desired spice
Instructions
- Cut the ends off of each cucumber. Place both cucumbers on a chopping board then smack the cucumbers a few times with a rolling pin or the flat blade of a cleaver to split them. If you want to avoid cucumber seeds flying all the over your kitchen counter, you can cover the cucumber with some plastic or cling wrap.
- Afterwards, slice each cucumber into 1-inch thick slices.
- Place the cucumber in a strainer with a bowl underneath. Sprinkle the cucumbers with the salt and mix well. Set the cucumber aside for at least 15 minutes to release the excess liquid. You can opt to rinse the cucumbers under running water two or three times to wash off the salt, or set them aside and add them directly to the sauce if you want saltier cucumbers.
- Afterwards, discard the liquid rom the cucumber.
SAUCE/DRESSING
- Meanwhile, combine the garlic, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, vinegar and chili garlic sauce/chili oil in the bowl. Taste and then adjust the seasoning depending on your preference.
MIXING THE SALAD
- Place the cucumber in a large bowl and pour in the sauce.
- Mix everything together until the cucumber is well coated. This is best enjoyed cold after the cucumber has been refrigerated and marinated in the mixture for at least 30 minutes. These can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Notes
Vinegar
You can also use rice vinegar or even apple cider vinegar and adjust the sugar according to your desired sweetness and acidity levels.
You can also use rice vinegar or even apple cider vinegar and adjust the sugar according to your desired sweetness and acidity levels.
NUTRITIONAL INFO
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1127mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
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