Cucumber Salad with Soy, Ginger, and Garlic

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large cucumbers (about 1 1/2 pounds), thinly sliced, peel skins off if needed

  • Salt, to taste

  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 small garlic clove, minced, or granulated garlic or garlic flakes to taste

  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more to taste

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil (sub extra of other oil if you don’t have sesame oil)

  • 3 tablespoons sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil

  • 1 bunch scallions, very thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

PREPARATION

  1. Sprinkle the cucumbers with a generous amount of salt and let sit in a colander in the sink for 15 minutes. Rinse and dry on a kitchen towel. Transfer to a salad bowl.

  2. Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, cayenne, and pepper. Whisk in the sesame oil and your other choice of oil. Toss with the cucumbers, scallions, and cilantro. Chill until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from nytimescooking