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Home » 10 Minute Salads

Chinese Cucumber Salad with Sesame

Made by Anastasia Papapetros - Serves 4 Filed Under: 10 Minute Salads, Green Salads, Low Carb, Salad Index, Summer Salads

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This Chinese cucumber salad features cool cucumbers the perfect foil to cool you down on hot days or to combat the heat from a curry.

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A close-up of Chinese cucumber salad in a mint bowl

We use both black and white sesame seeds in this salad the difference is that the white have their hulls removed while the black have their hulls intact.

In This Post:
 [hide]
  1. How to Make This Salad
  2.  Serving Suggestions  🍽
  3. Tips and Questions
  4. Try some more of our cucumber salad recipes...
  5. Recipe Card

How to Make This Salad

Preheat your oven to 1800C (3600F). 

Line a baking tray and pour over a thin layer of your white sesame seeds on your tray. 

Raw sesame seeds on a lined baking tray.

Place in the middle section of your oven checking them every 5 minutes and shaking the tray so they will toast evenly then cook until golden brown (approximately 10-15 minutes) then transfer them to a cold plate to stop the cooking process.

Alternatively, you can place your sesame seeds in a hot frypan (use medium heat) and keep stirring them and once the sesame seeds start changing colour (they should be a light golden brown), immediately remove them from the stove and transfer to a cold plate to stop the cooking process.

Toasted sesame seeds on a lined baking tray.

Step 2 - Prepare Your Ingredients

Wash your cucumbers, trim the tops and bottoms then cut them in half lengthwise, deseed them using a teaspoon and then slice on the diagonal.

Transfer to a mixing bowl, salt and let stand for 5 minutes. The salt makes the cucumbers tastier and gets rid of excess water, which can dilute the dressing.

CUTTING DESEED CUCUMBER ON THE DIAGONAL

Wash your green onion, trim it and then slice on the diagonal, add to your cucumbers.

Hands diagonally slicing green onions on a wooden board.

Wash and trim your chilli (it is up to you if you would like to remove the seeds) and cut into a fine dice then add to your cucumbers.

DICING RED CHILLI ON A WOODEN BOARD WITH RED KNIFE

Step 3 - Assemble Your Salad

Add all your vinaigrette ingredients to a glass jar and shake until emulsified.

Add the sesame seeds to your bowl with the cucumbers pour the vinaigrette over the salad.

Prepared Chinese cucumber salad ingredients in a white bowl.

Mix your salad until well combined, taste and adjust the seasonings according to your taste.

Mixing Chinese cucumber salad ingredients in a white bowl.

Arrange your Chinese cucumber salad on a serving platter, scatter with Szechuan peppercorns and serve.

A close-up Chinese cucumber salad in a mint bowl with chillis on the side.

 Serving Suggestions  🍽

As an Asian-style salad, it works beautifully served with anything Asian such as Chinese, Japanese, Thai or Vietnamese food. You could also serve it with simple grilled or barbecued meats such as chicken, salmon or prawns.

The cool and refreshing cucumbers in this Chinese cucumber salad make it ideal to serve alongside spicy foods such as curries or hot stir-fries.

  • Red Curry
  • Spicy Korean Pork Stir Fry
  • Barbecue Prawns
  • Salmon

Tips and Questions

What's the Best Cucumber to Use?

  • In this Chinese cucumber salad, both short or long cucumber varieties work just as well.
  • The shorter varieties (Persian, Lebanese) are dense with hardly any seeds and have a fresh more intense flavour.
  • The longer varieties (telegraph, continental, English or hothouse) are crunchier with quite a few watery seeds in the middle.
  • It is entirely up to you which you prefer and in any case, we will be removing all the seeds as they contain a lot of moisture - we don’t want to water down the beautiful flavours in our vinaigrette!

The Difference Between White a Black Sesame Seeds?

  • The toasted white sesame seeds add an intense sweet nutty taste while the black have a slightly bitter, earthier taste.
  • Together they create a wonderful fusion of flavour as well as crunch.

Can I Make This Salad Ahead of Time?

  • Yes, this salad can be made a few hours in advance. However, add the sesame seeds just before serving to maintain their crunch.

How Long Can I Store Leftovers?

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad is best enjoyed within 1-2 days.

What Should I Do if the Salad is Too Salty?

  • It is always a good idea to taste your soy and fish sauce before adding it to your dressing as it varies from brand to brand.
  • But, if the salad is too salty, you can balance it by adding a bit more rice vinegar and a touch of sugar to mellow the flavours.

Try some more of our cucumber salad recipes...

CUCUMBER FETA SALAD CUT 2 WAYS IN 2 WHITE BOWLS
CUCUMBER & FETA SALAD
AROMATIC CUCUMBER AND CARROT SALAD
AROMATIC CUCUMBER & CARROT SALAD

Recipe Card

A close-up Chinese cucumber salad in a mint bowl with chillis on the side.

Chinese Cucumber Salad with Sesame

This Chinese Cucumber Salad makes the most of summer cucumbers dressed with a delightful Asian inspired dressing and sprinkled with a variety of toasted sesame seeds
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
* Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Easy
Servings: 4 as a side
Calories: 193kcal
Author: Anastasia Papapetros
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Ingredients
For the salad...
  • 500 grams Lebanese cucumbers (approximately 3-4 medium)
  • 1 green (spring) onion
  • 2 tbsps sesame seeds (toasted)
  • 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
  • 1 long red chilli (finely diced)
For the vinaigrette...
  • 3 tbsps MCT oil (or any other neutral oil)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 3 tbsps lime juice
  • 2 tbsps light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
For the garnish...
  • 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
Metric - Imperial
Instructions
  • Wash your cucumbers, cut them in half, deseed them using a teaspoon and then slice on the diagonal. 1
  • Wash your green onion, trim it and then slice on the diagonal, trim your chilli (it is up to you if you would like to remove the seeds) then finely dice your chilli. Transfer to your bowl with the cucumbers.
  • Add all your vinaigrette ingredients to a glass jar and shake until emulsified.
  • Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and mix until combined, taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.
  • Arrange the salad on a serving platter, scatter with Szechuan peppercorns and serve.

Notes

  1. You may like to salt your cucumbers, put them in a bowl with some salt and let stand for 5 minutes. The salt makes the cucumbers tastier and gets rid of excess water, which can dilute the dressing.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 861mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 268IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @salads_with_anastasia or tag #salads_with_anastasia!

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About Anastasia Papapetros

Anastasia has been passionate about cooking since she was eight years old, and hasn't left the kitchen since! With over a decade of experience running her own coffee shop and catering business, Anastasia has developed a true love for salads - especially for family get-togethers and friends' functions. She's the go-to for bringing the perfect salad to any occasion!

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