Asian Spiral Cucumber Salad with Sesame
Ever since I began making this refreshing Asian spiral cucumber salad with sesame seeds, I can’t get enough of it! This is the Korean side dish ‘Oi-muchim’ and blends savory and spicy flavors. It’s simple, healthy, and only takes 10 minutes to prepare. Here’s what you’ll need.
Korean Gochugaru: Translating to red pepper flakes, gochugaru is available at any Asian grocery store and on Amazon. They are popular in Korean cuisine and add an extra kick to any dish they are in.
Cucumbers: The best cucumbers to use are baby/mini cucumbers as they are less likely to split when the spiral is cut. Longer, English cucumbers may be more difficult to maneuver.
The best part about this Asian spiral cucumber salad with sesame is that you don’t need to buy a spiralizer! All you need is an old pair of chopsticks and a good kitchen knife.
The type of soy sauce you should use is a light kind as it is less viscous (thick). Although, if you are watching your salt intake, feel free to substitute with the following:
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Low sodium soy sauce
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Coconut aminos
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Tamari
This side dish is super flexible and you can add or omit anything you want. Traditionally, a lot of people like to add some sugar to balance the savory element of the soy sauce. I personally don’t like adding sweetness to this dish, but if you would like to, be my guest!
Asian Cucumber Salad with Sesame
Ingredients
- 3-4 Baby cucumbers *washed
- 3-4 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 2 tsp Korean gochugaru *red pepper flakes
- 1-2 drops Sesame oil
- pinch Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Wash your cucumbers and cut off the ends of each one. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel
- Take a pair of chopsticks and place them on either length of the cucumber.
- Next, take a sharp kitchen knife and make diagonal and equally spaced cuts along the width of the cucumber. The chopsticks will stop the knife from cutting too deep.
- After making the diagonal cuts, turn over the cucumber with the chopsticks still in place and make straight, vertical cuts this time.
- Once you're done, you should be left with a spiral cucumber that opens up.
- Now place the spiral cucumbers in a bowl and add the soy sauce, Korean gochugaru, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
- Mix well and set aside for 15 minutes. Your salad is ready to eat! If you want, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week.
If you like this recipe, check out my vegan and vegetarian recipes.