Description
This easy, Korean-inspired cucumber kimchi salad is crunchy, funky, and so refreshing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 Persian cucumbers* (see note below)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro*
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar*
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Begin by smashing the cucumbers: lay a cucumber on your cutting board, then lay the side of a chef’s knife over the cuke, and gently smash with a closed fist until it cracks and flattens a bit. Then cut it on a diagonal into 1/2-inch chunks.
- Place chopped cucumbers in a mesh strainer set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss gently. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the cucumbers to release their juices.
- Gently press on the cucumbers to get rid of any remaining moisture and discard the juice. Transfer cucumbers to a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients (start with 1 teaspoon soy sauce and add more after tasting, if needed).
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Can’t find Persian cucumbers? Substitute with 4 Kirby cucumbers.
- If you hate cilantro, just skip it – there is no substitute for it in this recipe.
- This vinegar has some salt and sugar added to it. If you want to sub with regular rice vinegar, compensate with a tiny splash (~1/2 teaspoon) of maple syrup/honey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 95
- Sodium: 575 mg
- Fat: 4.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.9 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
