Description
Korean cucumber salad dances with crisp vegetables and tangy seasoning from Seoul street markets. Refreshing ingredients blend perfectly for cool summer side dishes you’ll crave repeatedly.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables:
- 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Seasonings and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
Garnish:
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Salt cucumber slices in a colander for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture, allowing the pieces to become crisp and flavorful.
- Thoroughly rinse cucumbers under cold water, gently pressing to remove salt and water, ensuring a light and refreshing texture.
- Transfer drained cucumber slices to a mixing bowl, preparing for seasoning with aromatic Korean-inspired ingredients.
- Whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, gochugaru, and minced garlic to create a vibrant and tangy dressing.
- Pour the dressing over cucumber slices, tossing gently to ensure even coating and distribution of flavors.
- Let the salad marinate for 5 minutes at room temperature to allow ingredients to meld together harmoniously.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds just before serving, adding a nutty crunch and visual appeal to the refreshing side dish.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature as a zesty accompaniment to Korean main courses or as a light, cooling appetizer.
Notes
- Salt the cucumbers to draw out excess moisture, creating a crispier and more concentrated flavor profile.
- Gently squeeze the cucumbers after rinsing to prevent waterlogging, ensuring a refreshing and light texture.
- Adjust the heat level by modifying the amount of gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) to suit personal spice preferences.
- For a vegan or low-sodium version, replace soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos and use a sugar substitute like stevia.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 52 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg