Quick Sesame Cucumber Salad - Asian Style

This is another easy refreshing preparation for cucumbers. It makes for a quick side salad.
It pairs nicely with grilled proteins and as a side to any Pan-Asian meal.

For added effect, cut cucumbers on bias, mandolin into thin cuts or cube cucumbers. Black sesame seeds make for a nice finish. Also, don't hesitate to add other veggies such as red onion or shredded carrot.

The recipe call for rice vinegar and sesame oil. These are core ingredients for this recipe and cannot be substituted. If you don't have this two ingredients, I would say that they are well worth having in your pantry.

One word of caution, sesame oil is very powerful. A little goes a long way. While it is a cooking oil, you use it more for aromatics and complexity of flavor. Because there are variances in brands, I suggest starting with half the quantity and add to taste from there.

Ingredients:

• 3 cucumbers, peeled and seeded
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Process:

1. Peel and seed cucumbers and cut on the diagonal into thin slices
   
   
2. Toss the cucumber pieces with kosher salt, transfer to a colander, and let drain for 1 hour
   
   
3. Toast white sesame seeds in a dry skillet until they’re golden brown - remove from heat and let cool
   
   
4. Whisk together rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes in a container and set aside
   
   
5. Rinse the cucumber slices thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels
   
   
6. Toss the cucumbers with the dressing and toasted sesame seeds and serve