Description
Cool cucumber slices soak up Korean-inspired spicy dressing, creating a zesty side dish that dances with tangy flavors. Crisp, refreshing, and packed with bold seasonings, this salad promises to energize your plate and delight your senses.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 23 green onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Spices:
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Liquid and Oil Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Meticulously slice cucumbers into delicate, translucent rounds using a sharp knife, creating uniform thin pieces.
- Generously dust sliced cucumbers with salt, allowing them to rest for approximately 10-15 minutes, which helps extract excess moisture and intensifies flavor absorption.
- Gently press and squeeze cucumber slices to remove liquid, ensuring a crisp and refreshing texture.
- Whisk together a vibrant dressing combining tangy rice vinegar, rich sesame oil, fiery gochugaru, subtle sweetness from sugar, umami-packed soy sauce, and pungent minced garlic in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Tenderly fold cucumber slices into the zesty marinade, ensuring each piece is thoroughly and evenly coated with the robust seasoning.
- Garnish the salad with a sprinkle of nutty sesame seeds and freshly chopped green onions, adding visual appeal and additional layers of flavor.
- Allow the salad to rest for 10-15 minutes, enabling the ingredients to harmonize and develop a complex, balanced taste profile before serving chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Remove excess water from cucumbers by salting and draining to prevent a watery, soggy salad that dilutes the vibrant flavors.
- Adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing gochugaru for those with different heat tolerances, creating a personalized taste experience.
- Enhance the salad’s nutrition by adding protein like tofu or shredded chicken for a more substantial side dish or light meal.
- Swap rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar for a slightly sweeter, tangier alternative that works well for those wanting a different flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg