Name: Easy & Quick Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 6 Mini cucumbers (or Persian cucumbers); 2 tsp Salt (to drain water); 1 tbsp Regular soy sauce; 2 cloves Garlic (minced); 1 tbsp Rice vinegar (or white vinegar); 1 tbsp Chinese chili oil; 1 tbsp White granulated sugar; 1 tsp Sesame oil; 1 tsp Sesame seeds; 2 tbsp Green onion (finely sliced)

Description

This Easy & Quick Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad is a refreshing and flavorful side dish featuring crisp mini cucumbers dressed with a savory, tangy, and spicy blend of soy sauce, rice vinegar, Chinese chili oil, and garlic. Ready in just 10 minutes, it's perfect for a healthy snack or an accompaniment to Asian-inspired meals.

Ingredients

Cucumbers

6 Mini cucumbers (or Persian cucumbers)

Seasoning

2 tsp Salt (to drain water)

Dressing

1 tbsp Regular soy sauce
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 tbsp Rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 tbsp Chinese chili oil
1 tbsp White granulated sugar
1 tsp Sesame oil
1 tsp Sesame seeds
2 tbsp Green onion (finely sliced)

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Instructions

Prepare Cucumbers: Wash cucumbers and cut off the ends to clean them thoroughly and prepare for slicing.
Slice Cucumbers Diagonally: Place one cucumber between two chopsticks. Make thin diagonal slices from the top side, then flip and repeat on the other side. Cut the cucumber into halves. Repeat for all cucumbers to achieve a spiral cut effect. Alternatively, thinly slice cucumbers if preferred.
Salt and Drain: Sprinkle salt over cucumbers and gently massage to draw out excess water. Let them soak in the salt for 5 minutes, but no longer than 10 minutes to avoid break down. Rinse cucumbers 3-4 times in cold water to completely remove salt, then strain and set aside.
Make Dressing: In a separate bowl, combine the soy sauce, minced garlic, rice vinegar, Chinese chili oil, white sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions to create a flavorful dressing.
Toss Salad: Pour the dressing over the drained cucumbers and gently mix until well coated with the spicy and tangy dressing.
Serve: Enjoy the salad immediately as a refreshing side dish or a light snack.

Notes

Do not soak cucumbers in salt for more than 10 minutes to prevent them from becoming too soft or breaking down.
The spiral cutting technique helps the cucumbers absorb more dressing and adds visual appeal.
You can adjust the amount of Chinese chili oil to control the spiciness level.
Use rice vinegar for authentic flavor, but white vinegar can be substituted.
Chilling the salad before serving can enhance its refreshing qualities.