As soon as it starts to get warm outside the cravings for fresh simple food like this sesame cucumber salad start to hit me hard. Yesterday for instance, I had it for lunch AND dinner. Today….I’m contemplating making it again. I even forced my fiancé Kevin to try it and he is someone who claims he doesn’t like cucumbers. He loved it. So there! A cucumber salad that even cucumber haters will ask for seconds of.
This salad would be delicious with a piece of seared tuna, paired with some soy ginger shrimp, or even added to your favorite poke bowl. It makes a delicious light lunch by itself or served as a starter course for whatever you’re cooking up for dinner. And the best part is, I swear you feel ten pounds lighter after eating it. It’s that refreshing.
To make the very best version of this salad you will need a mandoline or at least, a very good sharp knife. Using a mandoline will allow you to create very thin ribbon-like noodles of cucumber. If the slices of cucumber are too thick you won’t truly get the salad to have the texture that makes the salad so good (and so fun to eat with chopsticks). I have this mandoline and I love it. It’s easy to use and makes shockingly fast work of slicing whatever vegetable you’re working with paper thin.
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Cool as a cucumber. Let’s work on those cukes. Make sure you are using the proper type of cucumber for this salad. You need Japanese, Persian, or English cucumbers. Normal cucumbers have too much water and the seeds are too large. Once you have the proper cukes, get slicing.
Step 2: Play your mandoline. Slice your cucumber in half crosswise and then put it on your mandoline. I slice on the thinest possible setting on my mandoline. If you would prefer a cucumber ribbon with a little more thickness, go up a notch. If you are not using a mandoline, cut the cucumbers lengthwise as thin as you possible can. After you finish your cucumber, do the same with your red onion. Slice your red onion into long paper thin strips.
Step 3: Get saucy. Let’s make your cuke sauce. Combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, minced fresh ginger, sugar or stevia, sea salt, sesame oil, garlic powder, and sesame seeds. Whisk together. Pour over cucumber and red onion mix.
Step 4: Patience. Yes, you can feast on your salad right away. But, for the best results let your salad sit 20-30 minutes before you dig in to let the flavors develop. Top your salad with another sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Cukes of Hazard {Japanese sesame cucumber salad}
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, sliced in half crosswise and then sliced into thin ribbons
- 1/4 red onion sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar or stevia
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Slice your cucumber in half crosswise and then put it on your mandoline. Slice on the thinest possible setting on my mandoline. If you would prefer a cucumber noodle with a little more thickness, go up a notch. If you are not using a mandoline, cut the cucumbers lengthwise as thin as you possible can. You are looking to make 4-6 inch cucumber ribbons. After you finish your cucumber, do the same with your red onion. Slice your red onion into long paper thin strips.
- Combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, minced ginger ginger, sugar or stevia, sea salt, sesame oil, garlic powder, and sesame seeds. Whisk together. Pour over cucumber and red onion mix.
- For the best results let your salad sit 20-30 minutes before you dig in to let the flavors develop. Top your salad with another sprinkle of sesame seeds.