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Sliced cucumbers and green onions in a shallow bowl with sesame seeds and dressing

Cucumber Salad with Rice Vinegar and Sesame

WTBBQ
This cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame is crisp, cool and lightly tangy, making it a brilliant side for rich barbecue plates. It brings fresh crunch, gentle sesame warmth and a clean finish that works especially well with sticky pork ribs.
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Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 48 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cucumbers large
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 spring onions finely sliced
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds toasted
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper cracked
  • 1 tsp lime juice optional

Instructions
 

Slice the cucumbers

  • Slice the cucumbers thinly into rounds or half moons, depending on their size. Add them to a bowl with the spring onions.

Make the dressing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, salt, black pepper and lime juice if using.

Dress the salad

  • Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and spring onions, then toss gently until everything is evenly coated.

Add the sesame seeds

  • Sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds and toss once more.

Serve fresh

  • Serve straight away for maximum crunch, or let the salad sit for 5 to 10 minutes if you want the flavours to settle slightly.

Notes

I like using firm cucumbers with plenty of crunch and not too many watery seeds in the middle. Standard cucumbers work perfectly well, though if they’re especially seedy I sometimes scrape out a little of the centre. Persian or mini cucumbers are excellent too because they tend to stay crisp and don’t need much fussing with.
Rice vinegar is my first choice here because it’s bright and mild without the sharper edge you get from some other vinegars. Sesame oil needs a restrained hand. Too much and the whole salad starts tasting heavy, which rather defeats the point of a cucumber side dish. I use just enough to give the dressing a warm nutty note.

Nutrition

Calories: 48kcalCarbohydrates: 4.8gProtein: 1.2gFat: 2.8gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.1gSodium: 210mgPotassium: 185mgFiber: 0.9gSugar: 3.1gVitamin A: 220IUCalcium: 28mgIron: 0.5mg
Keyword crisp side, cucumber salad, fresh barbecue, rice vinegar, sesame salad
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