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Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

Salad

  • 24 ounces (680g) cucumbers* (Persian, Japanese, Korean, or English cucumbers)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 scallions, sliced on a bias
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted or roasted**

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chile paste)***
  • ½ tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil****
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons agave nectar or organic cane sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed with a press

Instructions

  • Smash the cucumbers. Wash and dry the cucumbers and slice off the ends. Slice in half lengthwise. Grab your largest, heaviest knife (if you have a cleaver knife, use it) and smash the cukes by pressing the flat side of a heavy knife against them, using the heel of your palm (right above your wrist) to press down, similar to smashing down on a garlic clove to peel it.
    NOTE: If using large cucumbers like English cucumbers, it's hard to smash them whole. First, chop the cucumbers into 2- to 3-inch segments, then smash them.
  • Salt the cucumbers. Tear the smashed cukes into bite-sized chunks and transfer to a colander fitted over a bowl or in the sink. Sprinkle the cucumbers with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and use your hands to toss until well coated.
    Place a resealable bag filled with ice and cold water (or a bag of frozen peas) on top of the cucumbers to weigh them down—this forces more water out.
    Rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or or up to 4 hours. Discard accumulated water and shake off excess water from the cucumbers.
  • Meanwhile, thinly slice the shallot. Slice the scallions on a hard bias, separating the dark greens for the garnish.
  • Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the gochujang, gochugaru, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and garlic until well combined.
  • After the cucumbers have rested, squeeze a handful of them until no water is dripping out, like you would a washcloth. Repeat with remaining cucumbers. Alternatively, you can run the cucumbers in a salad spinner afterwards.*****
  • Assemble. Add the cucumbers, scallion whites/light greens, and shallots to the dressing. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the cukes for about a minute. Before serving, add the sesame seeds and scallion greens and toss gently.

Notes

*I don't recommend using a pole cucumber, as they're less sweet and have a lot of seeds. Persian cucumbers, which are small, are the easiest to smash. 
** You can buy pre-roasted sesame seeds, or toast raw sesame seeds yourself. To toast them, heat a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sesame seeds and toast, stirring from time to time to prevent burning, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. 
*** For moderate heat, use 1 tablespoon of gochujang. 
*** Toasted sesame oil imparts a rich, nutty flavor. I have tried many brands, and Ottogi is my favorite toasted sesame oil (affiliate link). 
**** If you are serving all of the cucumber salad at once, you can skip the step of wringing out the smashed cucumbers. 
General Notes
This salad is best served chilled. It should be pretty chilled from the cucumbers resting in the fridge.
If keeping leftovers, the cucumbers will release more water over time. Don't be alarmed—it doesn't water down the flavor, and the resulting sauce is delicious. Pour the sauce over cooked rice for an easy flavor boost.