Description
This is my new favorite cucumber salad! It’s crunch, spicy, savory, and packed with umami! You can make the sauce beforehand, but pouring it over the cucumber right before serving to retain its crunch texture is best. This is a great side dish or a snack!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (Kikoman Organic)
- 1/2 tbsp yondu (vegetable umami)
- 1/2 tbsp shiro dashi (Japanese soup base sauce)
- 1 tbsp lao gan ma or my chili oil
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar, white vinegar, or black vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- A pinch of black pepper
- 1 clove of garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 1 English cucumber, sliced into 1/2” thick
- Chili threads or fried shallot/garlic for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce, yondu, shiro dashi, lao gan ma, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, black pepper, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Pour the sauce over the sliced cucumber and garnish with chili threads or fried shallots. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can make this sauce in a larger batch and store it in the refrigerator. (It will last 10 days in the fridge) When needed, just slice the cucumber and pour the sauce over it. This method is not only easy but also very convenient.
- The sauce is also delicious with other vegetables, silken tofu, or as a salad dressing.
- Having both yondu and shiro dashi will give you the best flavor, but using just one will still be delicious. Yondu and shiro dashi can be substituted for each other.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
