Preparation
- Wash the cucumbers thoroughly, peel if you like and cut into bite-sized pieces. Mix with the salt in a bowl and leave for about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until golden and set aside. Chop the spring onions and garlic.
- Whisk the spring onions and garlic with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, chilli flakes and sesame oil in a bowl to make the dressing. Adjust the quantities to taste.
- Pour off the liquid the cucumbers have released, rinse the cucumbers thoroughly so they are not too salty, and drain briefly.
- Add the cucumbers to the dressing, toss well and finally scatter over the toasted sesame. For extra freshness, chill the salad in the fridge for a few hours.
Drink with it
Ginjo sake · excellent match
Ginjo, well chilled (8 to 10 °C)
The cool, fruity-delicate character of a ginjo suits the freshness of the cucumber and shares the light acidity of the rice vinegar.
Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo: What do these mean for sake?White wine · excellent match
Riesling Kabinett, feinherb (off-dry)
Zesty acidity and a touch of residual sweetness take up the sharpness of the vinegar and stay fresh next to the mild chilli.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingVodka · excellent match
Ice cold, neat, in small glasses
Vodka and cucumber belong together as with pickled cucumbers in Eastern Europe: the ice-cold, clear spirit clears vinegar and sesame oil from the palate, and the light chilli heat stays mild.
What Is Vodka? Raw Materials, Flavor, and CocktailsJunmai sake · good match
Junmai, chilled to room temperature
The soft rice note rounds off the soy sauce and sesame and does not get in the way of the sweetness of the dressing.
Pale lager · good match
Pale lager or Pilsner, ice cold
Cold and carbonation keep the chilli flakes in check, and the fine bitterness clears the mouth for the next bite.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?