thai cucumber salad

Total Time35 mins
DifficultySimple
SimpleNo real technique needed. Follow the steps and you'll be fine.
StraightforwardEasy going but worth paying attention. A good one to build confidence.
Building SkillsYou'll learn something making this. Great for developing technique.
Technique RequiredYou need to know what you're doing. Read the method before you start.
ChallengingThis will push you. Worth every bit of effort.
AdvancedSerious cooking. Rewarding when it comes together.
Servings4
Sides & SaladsLight & FreshQuickThaiSummer

A cucumber salad that does more than most salads. Salting and draining the cucumber first draws out excess moisture and concentrates the flavour, so the dressing coats and clings rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. The dressing is sharp, slightly sweet, and has enough fish sauce and gochugaru behind it to give the whole thing real depth.

It works as a side dish to anything rich and fried — particularly good alongside Korean fried chicken.

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Ingredients

Servings: 4
  • 2 Cucumber, cut into wedges
  • Fine sea salt, for salting
  • 1 tbsp (12g) Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Gochugaru
  • 1 tbsp (15g) Fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp (15g) Rice vinegar
  • 1.5 tbsp (23g) Fish sauce
  • 1 tsp (5g) Light soy sauce
  • 1 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tsp (9g) Sesame oil
  • 1 tsp (3g) Toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 Spring onions, finely sliced, optional
Salt and drain the cucumber
1

Cut the cucumber into wedges and place in a colander. Season with fine sea salt and toss until well coated. Leave to sit for 20–30 minutes until the cucumber has released a significant amount of water. Drain thoroughly.

Ingredients for this step:

  • 2 Cucumber, cut into wedges
  • Fine sea salt, for salting
Make the dressing
2

While the cucumber drains, combine the sugar, gochugaru, fresh lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, light soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Ingredients for this step:

  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Gochugaru
  • 1 tbsp Fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
  • 1.5 tbsp Fish sauce
  • 1 tsp Light soy sauce
  • 1 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tsp Sesame oil
Dress and serve
3

Pour the dressing over the drained cucumber and toss until every piece is coated. Scatter over the toasted sesame seeds and spring onion if using. Serve immediately.

Ingredients for this step:

  • 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 Spring onions, finely sliced, optional

Notes & Substitutions

Gochugaru: Korean dried chilli flakes — mild enough to use in quantity without overwhelming heat, with a bright red colour and a slightly fruity flavour. Available in Korean and Asian supermarkets. Standard dried chilli flakes work as a substitute but the colour and flavour will be noticeably different.

Cucumber: Wedges give more crunch than slices — the thicker cut holds up better after salting and dressing. Slices work just as well but soften slightly faster once dressed.

Serving suggestion: Particularly good alongside Korean fried chicken — the sharpness and crunch cuts through the richness of the sauce.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Serves 4  ·  35 mins  ·  Simple

COOKED
PROPERLY

Ingredients

  • 2 Cucumber (cut into wedges)
  • Fine sea salt (for salting)
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Gochugaru
  • 1 tbsp Fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
  • 1.5 tbsp Fish sauce
  • 1 tsp Light soy sauce
  • 1 cloves Garlic (finely minced)
  • 2 tsp Sesame oil
  • 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 Spring onions (finely sliced, optional)

Method

1

Salt and drain the cucumber

2 Cucumber  ·  Fine sea salt

Cut the cucumber into wedges and place in a colander. Season with fine sea salt and toss until well coated. Leave to sit for 20–30 minutes until the cucumber has released a significant amount of water. Drain thoroughly.

2

Make the dressing

1 tbsp Sugar  ·  1 tbsp Gochugaru  ·  1 tbsp Fresh lime juice  ·  1 tbsp Rice vinegar  ·  1.5 tbsp Fish sauce  ·  1 tsp Light soy sauce  ·  1 cloves Garlic  ·  2 tsp Sesame oil

While the cucumber drains, combine the sugar, gochugaru, fresh lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, light soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

3

Dress and serve

1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds  ·  1 Spring onions

Pour the dressing over the drained cucumber and toss until every piece is coated. Scatter over the toasted sesame seeds and spring onion if using. Serve immediately.

PRO TIP

Dress the salad just before serving — the cucumber will continue releasing moisture once the dressing goes on and softens quickly. It is best eaten within 10–15 minutes of dressing.

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