This straightforward recipe for a spicy cucumber salad is ideal for a fast and straightforward facet dish. With only a few elements, you’ll be able to whip up a tasty and refreshing salad with crunchy cucumbers in a wealthy savory dressing that can add some warmth to any meal. {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}

Cucumber salad is a well-liked dish on Chinese language dinner tables. Regardless of if you wish to add a crisp appetizer to accompany a bowl of sizzling noodle soup, to steadiness out a pot of hearty braised pork stomach, or have one thing inexperienced to serve with grilled meat, this spicy cucumber salad is an ideal alternative.

I’ve shared this traditional northern Chinese language type cucumber salad previously. On this recipe, I wish to share a flowery technique to lower and put together cucumber for the perfect texture.

Spicy cucumber salad elements

What kind of cucumber to make use of

Mini cucumbers and persian cucumbers are the perfect kind for this recipe. You should use English cucumbers as effectively, though their dimension is sort of massive for this slicing technique. For those who’re close to a Chinese language market, you may as well use Chinese language cucumbers (one among my favorites).

I don’t advocate utilizing American cucumbers as a result of they’re fairly thick and watery. 

Chili oil

Since chili oil is a key ingredient in spicy cucumber salad, I like to recommend both making it at house or utilizing a jar from a great model. 

Making chili oil is sort of straightforward and I’ve a recipe displaying you methods to do it in your individual kitchen. 

For those who favor to purchase chili oil, I like to recommend the one from The Mala Market, or the traditional Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp.

Mise en place

You solely want 7 elements to make this scrumptious dish!

• Cucumber
• Rice vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Garlic
• Sugar
• Chili oil
• Sesame seeds

Methods to make spicy cucumber salad

Right here I wish to present you methods to make spiral cucumber cuts so you’ll be able to create an exquisite wanting dish like a Chinese language restaurant.

1. Place a pair of chopsticks on the edges of the cucumber as a information so that you don’t lower by the cucumber, thinly slice the cucumber at a forty five diploma angle.
2. Flip the cucumber and lower it the identical method on the opposite facet.
3. Salt the cucumber and let it sit for some time, to launch moisture.
4. Combine the dressing.
5. Drain the moisture from the cucumber and pat dry.
6. Pour the dressing over the cucumber earlier than serving.

Create crunchy cucumber

On this recipe I salted the cucumber and let it marinate for 10 to fifteen minutes. Throughout this time, the cucumber will launch moisture and change into barely crunchier. The cucumber will even have a greater taste this fashion. 

It’s essential to maintain the marinating time brief, and rinse off the salt as soon as the marinating is finished. So the cucumber received’t style too salty.

Methods to serve and retailer spicy cucumber salad

Spicy cucumber salad is a good facet dish to accompany virtually any kind of Chinese language principal dish. You too can serve it as an appetizer to your Chinese language BBQ occasion. 

Spicy cucumber salad tastes the perfect if you happen to make it and serve it as quickly as potential. That being mentioned, you can also make it forward and produce it to a celebration with none subject. You may make the salad the identical day and serve it later. For those who plan to make it forward and serve the subsequent day, I like to recommend mixing the cucumber with the dressing proper earlier than you serve it. As soon as salted, the cucumber will maintain releasing moisture and dilute the dressing.

Different scrumptious appetizer and facet dishes

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Spicy Cucumber Salad

This straightforward recipe for a spicy cucumber salad is ideal for a fast and straightforward facet dish. With only a few elements, you’ll be able to whip up a tasty and refreshing salad with crunchy cucumbers in a wealthy savory dressing that can add some warmth to any meal. {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari to switch gentle soy sauce.

Creator: Maggie Zhu

Course: Appetizer, Facet

Delicacies: Chinese language

Key phrase: homestyle

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook dinner Time: 0 minutes minutes

Whole Time: 20 minutes minutes

Elements

• 5 to six (1 lb / 450 g) mini cucumbers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon gentle soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili oil (use much less if you happen to favor a much less spicy dish)
• 1 teaspoon white toasted sesame seeds

Directions

• Lower and discard the ends of the cucumbers. Place one cucumber between two disposable chopsticks. Make skinny diagonal slices at a forty five diploma angle. Then flip the cucumber over and do the identical on the opposite facet. Then halve the cucumber crosswise. Lower the remainder of the cucumbers the identical method, then switch to a big bowl. Add the salt and toss completely along with your fingers. Go away the salt on for quarter-hour or so, to attract out water. As soon as performed, rinse cucumbers and discard the water. Drain completely and flippantly pat the cucumbers dry.

• Combine the dressing elements in a small bowl.

• Proper earlier than serving, pour the sauce over and blend effectively. If not served instantly, the cucumbers will maintain releasing water. Drain the water earlier than mixing the sauce. Serve at room temperature as an appetizer or facet.

Diet

Serving: 1serving, Energy: 45kcal, Carbohydrates: 2.3g, Protein: 0.3g, Fats: 3.5g, Saturated Fats: 0.5g, Sodium: 223mg, Potassium: 43mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 1.5g, Calcium: 6mg