We have talked about cucumber salad before. I came across this recipe when I was looking for those meat rolls. Cucumber salad was another hero on the island. Most places had one version at least. One of the street vendors made one with black vinegar and garlic. She was next to the yakatori man. For less than 5 bucks I got meat and veg. A well rounded dinner! This isn’t exactly what I remember but its pretty darn close.
This has just 4 ingredients. It’s fast, easy and tasty. The dressing is light enough that it can be served with fish yet flavorful enough to stand up with beef.
This recipe calls for English cucumbers. I made it with those small Persian cucumbers. If you have a regular cucumber it will need to have the seeds scraped out. They give off too much liquid and make the dressing feel soggy. I planned for one cucumber per person but I used the smaller version. One full size cucumber should feed two people. I think I have mentioned before about the Persian cucumbers. I find them to be a bit more sturdy that the others. They are usually turned into pickles so they need to be sturdy. They can stay dressed longer than the others because they are more hardy. I don’t use them for a smashed cucumber salad because those need to be softer to be smashed.
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar-this is the key to the lightness of the dressing
1 teaspoon of sugar. 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds. Pinch of salt
Peel the cucumber in stripes then slice it into ribbons. I used the mandolin for this. I also cut my cucumber in half for easier handling. A veggie peeler would also work. The horizontal style. That would make longer ribbons.
Once you have ribbons, lay them out on paper towels to dry out a bit. They could be squeezed if you are in a hurry. The point is to get them as dry as possible so the dressing doesn’t get soggy.
While the veg dries out, whip up the dressing. Vinegar, salt and sugar. The sesame seeds can be toasted in this time of drying veggies. Toasting the seeds is also quick and easy. Toss them in a pan and let them go until they smell toasty. The edges can be a bit browned, but you don’t want to go too far. It’s seeds, not charcoal!
Now that the veg is dry and the seeds are toasted, lets mix this up. Toss the ribbons in the dressing and flip them around so every slice gets covered. Once they are covered sprinkle the sesame seeds over top and dig in! This is best served pretty quickly, the cucumbers will get soggy if left too long.
I added a chopped scallion. I love them and they are a nice compliment to just about everything. A drizzle of sesame oil would have been nice as well. Sesame oil is probably the only thing I don’t have in my Asian section. I haven’t been to the International market is months.
On a side note- rice vinegar is not the same as mirin. Mirin is rice wine. It is sweeter and thicker. Rice vinegar is vinegar. It is sour, like any vinegar but lighter in flavor.
Enjoy your kitchen! Squeeze the veggies dry. Go to the International market in your area. Recreate that amazing thing you had on vacation. Be bold and brave! Embrace the food!
Ali's Kitchen 