Cold cucumber salad recipe
User Reviews
5
Cold cucumber salad recipe
Description
The Cold cucumber salad recipe uses cucumbers with small seeds cut into half-inch cubes after lightly smashing to loosen the flesh. The dressing combines chili oil, soy sauce, and dark vinegar (Chinkiang or a balsamic substitute) to create a robust, balanced flavor combining spicy, salty, and sour notes.
Tossing the cucumbers in the dressing and refrigerating for at least 20 minutes chills the salad and helps the flavors meld. A pinch of sugar can balance the acidity if desired. Just before serving, sesame oil is drizzled over and garnished with spring onions or coriander for aromatics and extra freshness.
This salad is a light and cooling dish well-suited to warm weather or as a side balancing spicy or rich foods. Variations include adding minced garlic for a sharper edge or combining with marinated jellyfish for texture variation.
Ingredients
- 2 cucumber Smacked then cut into approximately ½ inch (1cm) cubes Choose cucumbers with small seeds such as Persian cucumbers or Japanese cucumbers
- 3 Tablespoons Chili oil You can use more chilli oil if you like. Try to scoop up some of the peanuts etc too so that the salad will have contrasting textures. Substitute: Lee Kum Kee chilli oil or homemade, Lao Gan Ma brand
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce Different soy sauce brands have different salt levels, so taste your dressing first. If it's not salty enough, add a pinch of salt, light
- 1 Tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar Also known as Zhejiang vinegar. Substitute: balsamic vinegar (but only if you really can't get the black Chinese vinegar.)
- Drizzle sesame oil optional
- Pinch granulated sugar optional (I find the salad tasty without the sugar but those with sweeter teeth may appreciate it, white
- sesame oil optional garnishes, lightly toasted sesame seeds
- sesame seeds
- spring onions
Instructions
- Smack and cut the cucumbers into small cubes. Place in a tuppleware container with an airtight lock.
- Pour the chilli oil, soy sauce and vinegar pour over the cucumbers. Taste to see if a pinch of salt is needed. If using sugar, now is the time to add.
- Close the container tightly then shake well. Ideally, leave in the fridge for at least 20-minutes so that the cucumbers can absorb the sauce and they're nice and cool. If you don't have the time, you can eat them straightaway as well.
- Drizzle with sesame oil and garnish with coriander etc (if using) just before serving so that the aroma of the oil will be stronger.
Notes
- Longer marinating yields deeper flavor but cucumbers remain crisp.
- Use only light soy sauce; avoid dark or thick soy sauces in the dressing.
- Garlic may be added but avoid long refrigerated storage to prevent safety risks.
- Marinated jellyfish can be mixed in as an optional texture contrast.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 114 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 114kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Sodium | 255mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 214mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 108IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 22mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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