Thai Cucumber Salad

Total Time35mins
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 & FreshThai

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
  • 1 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Gochugaru
  • 1 tbsp Lime juice, fresh
  • 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp Light soy sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp Fish sauce
  • 2 tsp Sesame oil
  • 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds, to finish
  • 1 Spring onion, finely sliced, optional

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Method

Salt and drain the cucumber
1

Cut the cucumber into wedges and place in a colander. Season with flaked 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
Make the dressing
2

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

Ingredients for this step:

  • 1 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Gochugaru
  • 1 tbsp Lime juice
  • 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp Light soy sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp Fish sauce
  • 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 onion

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 chilli flakes work as a substitute but the colour and flavour will be different.

Cucumber: Wedges give more crunch than slices — the thicker cut holds up better after salting and dressing. If you prefer slices, they work just as well but will 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

Total time: 35mins  •  Difficulty: Simple  •  Servings: 4

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.

Ingredients

  • 2 Cucumber (cut into wedges)
  • 1 cloves Garlic (finely minced)
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Gochugaru
  • 1 tbsp Lime juice (fresh)
  • 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp Light soy sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp Fish sauce
  • 2 tsp Sesame oil
  • 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds (to finish)
  • 1 Spring onion (finely sliced, optional)

Method

Salt and drain the cucumber

1.

Cut the cucumber into wedges and place in a colander. Season with flaked 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.

For this step: 2 Cucumber

Make the dressing

2.

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

For this step: 1 cloves Garlic, 1 tbsp Sugar, 1 tbsp Gochugaru, 1 tbsp Lime juice, 1 tbsp Rice vinegar, 1 tsp Light soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp Fish sauce, 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.

For this step: 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds, 1 Spring onion

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 chilli flakes work as a substitute but the colour and flavour will be different.

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

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

Recipe from cookedproperly.com

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