Lately I've been on a huge cucumber kick. They're light and refreshing — perfect for a hot summer day.
I grew up eating this salad at my mother's table, and it's still one of my favorite dishes to start off a light meal. The flavor profile is tart, the texture crunchy, the combination so simple, yet so satisfying.
The best part? The longer you let it sit, the better it tastes. After you've made it once, try altering the ingredients to see what works better for you — cider vinegar or white vinegar, more or less soy sauce, and so forth. My favorite cucumbers to use are the Japanese variety, because they're so crisp and firm. When they aren't available, I substitute Persian cucumbers. To check out my mom's easy recipe, read more.
From YumSugar's mother
Ingredients
4 Japanese or Persian cucumbers
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Directions
- Wash the cucumbers well.
- Chop off the ends of the cucumbers. Peel the cucumbers.
- Halve the cucumbers lengthwise.
- Use a small spoon or a parer to remove the seeds from each cucumber half. Discard seeds.
- Slice crosswise, chopping into pieces shaped like half moons.
- Transfer chopped cucumber to a mixing bowl; add salt.
- After 10-15 minutes, pour out excess water and dry cucumber pieces with a paper towel.
- Add white vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil; stir to combine.
Serves 2.
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Yum!
1Mmm! Here's a salad I'd be happy to eat!
2LOVE LOVE cukes! My family eats them all the time in the summer..we're Japanese so we just eat them w/ some shoyu (soy sauce) and a little salt (when my mom isn't looking, my dad will throw in some MSG..I know, he's bad). Also a good dipping sauce for cukes (and other veggies) is a little mayo w/ some shoyu mixed in...you just add enough so the sauce is light brown...OISHII!!
3I'm so obsessed with cucumbers, it's really a crime I haven't tried to make this.
4I make the same salad, but instead of white vinegar, I use rice vinegar, add a teaspoon of sugar and about 1-2 tablespoons of sesame seeds - mmmm!
5I hope there isn't too much salt! soy sauce is quite salty...
6I'm with danaruth - I prefer rice vinegar. However, you do need to add a little more of it because the acidity levels in rice vinegar are lower. I'm also a sucker for adding some chopped chilies.
7This looks simple enough for me to try. I think I can do this. I love salt and vinegar and it will add to our birthday dinner tommorrow with BBQ. Thanks! Margie Tucker
8Re: Soy sauce - just use the "lite" soy sauce. It doesn't taste any different, but also doesn't make you all puffy from so much salt. Several of my favorite sushi places ONLY offer lite soy sauce.
I made this and added a finely sliced small yellow onion and a dash of garlic chili sauce. YUM. My husband suggested finely sliced red bell pepper to help with the color, which I'll try next time!!!
AWESOME recipe that I can easily make with all local produce! Thanks!!
9i had no idea that this was also a japanese dish--they have varieties in china and korea too. the chinese version is my favorite though. it involves saving the labor of cutting out the seeds and keeping them in, ditto with the skin--it makes it crunchier, juicier, and more fulfilling than yumsugar's version (though hers looks great!). also, adding red pepper to the mix adds a kick too.
10thanx for sharing Yum!
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