Sesame & garlic crunchy cucumbers

This cucumber salad is the ultimate quick-fix side. A simple salting technique ensures the cucumber stays incredibly snappy, perfectly carrying the punchy notes of garlic, sesame, and soy. It’s a bright, cooling contrast that brings restaurant-quality flair to your table in minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 Cucumber
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar (or Apple Cider Vinegar)
• 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 clove Garlic (finely minced or grated).
• Optional Heat: 1 tsp chilli oil or a pinch of dried chilli flakes.

Method

1. Cut the cucumber into rounds about 1cm thick. If you want it to look fancy, use a vegetable peeler to peel "stripes" down the cucumber before slicing.
2. Place the slices in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let them sit for 10 minutes. You’ll see water pooling at the bottom; pour this away and give the cucumbers a quick rinse and pat dry. This ensures they don't water down your sauce.
3. In a small jar or bowl, whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and add your chilli oil or flakes.
5. Serve immediately while the cucumbers are at their absolute crunchiest.

Why this works

• The Garlic & Sesame: The raw garlic provides a sharp punch that is mellowed by the nuttiness of the toasted sesame oil.
• The Salt Cure: By drawing the water out first, the cucumber absorbs the soy sauce dressing rather than just sitting in it.