Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
A fresh and crunchy salad with a spicy and tangy dressing that's perfect as a side dish or refreshing snack.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 4 pieces cucumbers (~20cm/8") Scale up/down for shorter/longer (Note 1)
- 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1 piece eschalot/French onion, halved then very thinly sliced (US: shallot) (Note 2)
- 1 cup green onion, green part only finely sliced (1 large, 2 small stems)
- 2 tbsp+ chilli crisp (crispy chilli oil) Laoganma is my fave (Note 3)
- 2 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted Save some for topping
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar Sub any clear vinegar
- 2 tsp soy sauce, all-purpose or light (Note 4)
- 2 tsp sesame oil, toasted (ie brown, not yellow)
Instructions
Preparation
- Smash cucumbers with a meat mallet or rolling pin to burst open the sides.
- Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and then into 2.5cm/1" pieces.
- Toss with salt and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out water.
- Drain/strain and discard the salty water, leaving cucumbers in the same bowl.
Salad Assembly
- Whisk dressing ingredients in a bowl.
- Check the spiciness of your chilli crisp. Adjust to taste.
- Add green onion, eschalots, sesame seeds, dressing, and chilli crisp to the cucumbers.
- Toss until eschalots go floppy, about 30 seconds.
- Serve chilled, sprinkled with extra sesame seeds and dollops of chilli crisp.
Notes
Make sure to smash the cucumbers well for better dressing absorption. Adjust chilli crisp quantity to suit spice preference. Other veggies like carrots or bell peppers can be added for extra crunch.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.5gSodium: 400mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3g
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