Spicy Japanese Pickled Cucumbers
Spicy Japanese Pickled Cucumbers use Japanese or Persian cucumbers peeled in a striped pattern and cut using the rangiri technique. The cucumbers are salted and rinsed to maintain crunch, then marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, chili oil, and a touch of sugar. The dish features a balance of spicy, savory, and slightly sweet flavors with a crisp texture and a toasty nutty finish from sesame seeds.
Ingredients
- 2 cucumber Japanese or Persian varieties
- ½ tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
- ½ tsp white sesame seeds to garnish, toasted
For the Seasonings
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil toasted
- ½ tsp Chili oil store bought or make my Homemade La-yu, Japanese style la-yu
- ½ tsp sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for seasonings: 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, ½ tsp la-yu (Japanese chili oil), and ½ tsp sugar.
- Peel 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers in a striped pattern, alternately peeling ½-inch (1.3-cm) wide strips lengthwise with strips of skin intact. With this method, the cucumber slices will have some decorative dark green accents and a little bit of extra crunchiness.
- Cut the cucumber using the Japanese cutting technique called rangiri.
- Sprinkle ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt over the cucumbers and rub them with your hands. This is an important step to seal the moisture in the cucumber during pickling.
- Leave at the cutting board for 5 minutes, then transfer to a sieve. Quickly rinse the salt under running water.
- Pat dry the excess moisture on the cucumber.
- In a container or a resealable plastic bag, add the seasonings.
- Mix well and add the cucumber.
- Close the lid of the container, or seal the bag after releasing the air out. Shake the container or rub the cucumber from outside the bag.
- If you have a weight, you can put it directly on top of the cucumber. The heavy weight will help pickle faster. Keep in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
To Serve
- Take out the container/bag from the refrigerator and remove the weight if you used any.
- Transfer to a plate and sprinkle ½ tsp toasted white sesame seeds on top. Enjoy!
To Store
- Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Discard the pickle solution after 2 hours or when cucumber is pickled to your liking.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 37
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 37kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 321mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 56mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 39IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 9mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.