Asian Cucumber Salad recipe -

Asian Cucumber Salad recipe

You know those days when the sun is blazing, your skin feels sticky, and all you want is something cool and refreshing? That's when I pull out my go-to Asian Cucumber Salad recipe. I still remember the first time I tasted something similar – I was backpacking through Thailand, absolutely melting in the heat, when a local vendor handed me this impossibly crisp, tangy cucumber dish that practically revived me on the spot.

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Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

3 English cucumbers about 750g – the ones roughly the length of your forearm
3 tablespoons rice vinegar 45ml – the bottle that's been in your pantry since you made sushi that one time
2 tablespoons soy sauce 30ml – I use the low-sodium kind because my mom's always on my case about salt intake
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 5ml – the tiny bottle that lasts forever
1 tablespoon sugar 15g – just regular granulated, nothing fancy needed
2 cloves garlic about 6g – the plump middle ones from the bulb, not those tiny edge pieces
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger grated (about 15g) – roughly the first joint of your thumb
Red pepper flakes to taste I use about 1/2 teaspoon/2g – more if you're brave, less if you're serving kids
1 tablespoon sesame seeds 9g – white or black or mixed, whatever you've got
3 green onions about 30g – the skinny ones, not those giant mutant ones
A handful of cilantro leaves about 15g – totally optional if you're a cilantro-hater
A pinch of salt about 1/4 teaspoon/1.5g – preferably sea salt if you're feeling fancy

Equipment

Look, you don't need fancy gadgets for this – I've made it in tiny apartment kitchens and while camping! Just grab:
A decent knife (the sharper the better – dull knives and cucumbers are a dangerous combo, learned that the hard way!)
Your trusty cutting board (I use my bamboo one that's seen better days)
A mixing bowl big enough to toss everything without cucumber slices flying across the kitchen (been there!)
A smaller bowl for whisking the dressing
Measuring spoons and cups (though honestly, I eyeball it now)
A garlic press if you hate mincing by hand like I do
That little grater that's been in your drawer forever – perfect for the ginger
Any container with a lid for leftovers (though there rarely are any!)

Method

Prep those cucumbers: Give them a good wash – yes, even if they claim to be pre-washed! I like to partially peel mine in stripes (looks prettier on Instagram, let's be honest). Slice them into rounds about as thick as a quarter. If you're having a rough day, salt them and let them sit in a colander for 15 minutes – something therapeutic about watching them "sweat" out their moisture. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
Mix up your dressing: In that small bowl, throw together your rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Add the minced garlic (press it directly over the bowl to catch all those flavorful juices), freshly grated ginger (I grate right into the bowl too), and sprinkle in your red pepper flakes. Whisk it all together until the sugar's dissolved. Give it a taste – it should make your taste buds do a little happy dance between tangy, sweet, and savory.
Bring it all together: Dump your cucumber slices into your big bowl. Pour that gorgeous dressing all over them. Get your hands in there and give everything a gentle toss to make sure each slice gets its fair share of flavor goodness. If you're feeling fancy (or have company coming), use tongs instead of hands like a civilized person.
Let the magic happen: Pop it in the fridge for at least half an hour. This is non-negotiable! I usually use this time to clean up my mess or, let's be real, scroll through social media. The cucumbers need this time to soak up all those amazing flavors, so don't rush it.