Description
Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad delivers crisp refreshment with bold flavors from Seoul’s street cuisine. Crunchy cucumbers mingle with zesty seasonings, promising a quick and delightful side dish you’ll crave repeatedly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cucumbers (large or 4 mini), thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp salt (for sweating the cucumbers)
- 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
- ½ tsp grated ginger (optional, for extra flavor)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, optional for extra heat)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preparation: Slice cucumbers into thin, translucent half-moons using a sharp chef’s knife, maintaining uniform thickness for consistent texture.
- Salting: Transfer cucumber slices to a fine-mesh strainer, generously dust with salt, and gently toss to distribute seasoning, allowing natural moisture to drain for 10-12 minutes.
- Drying: Blot cucumber slices with clean kitchen towels or paper towels to remove excess liquid and prevent diluting the dressing.
- Dressing Creation: Whisk rice vinegar, chili flakes, sesame oil, and honey together to craft a vibrant, multi-dimensional flavor profile that enhances the cucumber’s freshness.
- Combining: Fold drained cucumber slices into the zesty dressing, ensuring each piece is elegantly coated with the spicy-sweet marinade.
- Finishing: Sprinkle finely chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds over the salad, adding aromatic complexity and textural intrigue.
- Serving: Chill the cucumber salad for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and intensify, creating a refreshing and provocative side dish.
Notes
- Knife Precision: Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice cucumbers uniformly, ensuring each slice is thin and consistent for optimal texture and even flavor absorption.
- Salt Drainage Technique: Salting cucumbers draws out excess moisture, concentrating their natural crispness and preventing a watery salad, which can dilute the dressing’s intensity.
- Dressing Balance: Adjust chili flakes and honey to control spice level, creating a personalized heat profile that matches individual taste preferences without overwhelming the cucumber’s delicate flavor.
- Chilling Strategy: Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving, allowing flavors to meld and develop a more complex, harmonious taste profile that enhances the overall culinary experience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 360 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg