Refreshing Cucumber and Onion Salad
Refreshing Cucumber and Onion Salad
A Light and Delicious Diet Side Dish: Cucumber and Onion Salad
Introducing a wonderfully crisp cucumber and onion salad! This is the perfect summer side dish to awaken your appetite, especially when tired from the heat, with its sweet, sour, and refreshing flavors. Try this clean and light cucumber salad recipe that’s delicious even without gochujang.
Main Ingredients- 1 cucumber
- 1/2 onion
- 0.5 Tbsp coarse salt (for salting cucumbers)
Sweet and Sour Dressing- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 0.5 Tbsp soybean paste (doenjang)
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp oligosaccharide (or corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp plum extract (or plum syrup)
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- A little sesame oil
- A little sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 0.5 Tbsp soybean paste (doenjang)
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp oligosaccharide (or corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp plum extract (or plum syrup)
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- A little sesame oil
- A little sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare all the ingredients for the dish by washing them thoroughly. Fresh vegetables are the start of a delicious meal.
Step 2
Wash the cucumber under running water. Using a wavy knife can create a more decorative shape, but a regular knife works just fine! Slice the cucumber into rounds about 1cm thick, making them easy to eat.
Step 3
Sprinkle 0.5 Tbsp of coarse salt over the sliced cucumbers and gently mix. Let them sit for 10 minutes to salt. This process draws out excess moisture, resulting in a much crispier texture.
Step 4
Slice the onion into pieces similar in size to the cucumber slices. Avoid slicing them too thinly. The mild pungency of the onion will complement the cucumber, adding depth of flavor.
Step 5
After 10 minutes of salting, rinse the cucumbers lightly under cold water and squeeze out any excess moisture. If you’re concerned about the raw onion’s sharpness, you can briefly soak the sliced onion in cold water before draining to soften its bite.
Step 6
Place the drained cucumbers and prepared onions into a clean mixing bowl. Add all the dressing ingredients (red pepper flakes, soy sauce, soybean paste, vinegar, oligosaccharide, brown sugar, plum extract, and minced garlic) and mix well.
Step 7
Gently toss everything together until the dressing coats the cucumbers and onions evenly. Be careful not to mix too vigorously, as this can make the cucumbers mushy. Finally, drizzle with a little sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish. Your crisp and delicious cucumber and onion salad is ready! It’s excellent as a side dish or as part of a diet meal.
