This vegetarian pot pie is absolutely amazing.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Additional Time: | 1 hr |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 15 mins |
| Servings: | 6 |
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely crushed
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- red pepper flakes to taste
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Wrap each cucumber in plastic wrap to minimize splattering. Place on a work surface and pound with a flat object (like a meat pounder) until cucumbers crack and are slightly flattened. Remove from plastic. Cut cucumbers in half; halve each side lengthwise. Slice into 1- to 1 1/2 -inch wide slices. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl.
- Sprinkle cucumber with salt and sugar; mix until well combined. Refrigerate the bowl and strainer for 30 to 60 minutes so cucumber pieces can drain into the bowl.
- Place garlic, seasoned rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl; whisk together thoroughly.
- Transfer drained cucumbers into the bowl with dressing. Toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.
- Place cucumbers in a serving bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- In place of seasoned rice vinegar, you can use plain rice vinegar and add an extra pinch of salt and sugar to the dressing.
- Please note differences in ingredient amounts when following the magazine version of this recipe.
Reviews
Easy recipe, but i’m used to more “zip” in the marinade, more vinegar and depth. Perhaps double the recipe for the sauce next time.
I love this recipe! It is light and tasty. Anyone who says it has no flavor did not use good garlic. I serve it with just about anything from Asian food to burgers. Easy to make and I have all the ingredients on hand.
I was so surprised how great this was!! Every ingredient and corresponding amount was spot on and complimented each other/the cucumbers perfectly! Who knew to smash cucumbers?? The hardest part was letting it marinate! Thanks again for another unique but flavorful dish Chef John! A keeper! Can’t wait for summer!
I first prepared this dish using a recipe that I transcribed from a Mandarin cooking website. The only difference that I would do would be to add a 1/4 cup of fresh roasted peanuts at the end and stir.
We loved the “Cucumber Sunomono” recipe from this site, so I was excited to try another asian inspired cucumber salad. Unfortunately, we were just not fans of the strong soy sauce flavor in this recipe. Perhaps it is just too much umami flavor for us.
This salad is so delicious. I have a plethora of English cukes form garden. It’s always one of my inclusions after other salads and B&B pickles.
I loved this salad and so did my family. Did not change a thing, great the way it is…Love, Love, Love it.
This is one of my “go-to” recipes even when cucumbers are not in season in my area. Usually make it once a week – love it with grilled chicken, fish or a spicy asian dish. If I have them on hand, I add sliced radishes, for color and added flavor. Definitely a keeper for all I have shared the dish with.
It was ok. I didn’t think smashing the cucumbers gave them more flavor but made them mushy. They didn’t have much flavor and I made them per the recipe. My neighbor liked them a lot, but I thought they were meh.
A little too odd for me. I don’t plan to make it again, but I love Chef John and his recipes! I thought it was interesting that cucumbers have a better flavor when you smash them!
Great, simple cucumber salad that’s easy to make. I couldn’t stop eating it!
Easy, refreshing, and delicious.
so good but my breath after could drop a mule.
So good! I used fresh young cucumbers from our CSA. I was out of soy sauce, so subbed a small amount of chili paste for that and the pepper flakes. Do give the salad time to marinate, as the flavors really develop. It had a good savory Korean vibe. We will definitely make this again.
Loved it.
Loved it.
The sauce was perfect! I like using persian cucumbers a lot more.
We loved this. I already had the cucumbers sliced before I looked for a dressing recipe. I put in “cucumbers with vinegar” and this came up. We lived in Japan and this reminds me of the side dish they served using lovely Japanese cucumbers smaller than an English cucumber.
We are doing the Keto diet so I used Monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar. This was the second time I made this recipe and loved it!
Draining them in a colander still seems to leave them a bit too “full” of water for my taste. I tried packing them tighter in a bowl, and upping the sugar amount (which I made sure to wash away later) and they got much softer, which is my preference. I also needed a bit more of the sauce mixture than indicated in the recipe to let more of the flavors mix together.
The flavor and texture for this cucumber salad is excellent. I made it as written, wielding a cast iron skillet. This is really a much faster way than peeling and slicing. I would only use one teaspoon of crushed garlic as you don’t want that flavor taking over. I would also recommend using the English cucumbers; the other ones you get at the store have a tougher peel.