Cucumber Shaker with Vinegar (Printable View)

Crisp cucumber salad tossed in rice vinegar, sesame oil, and savory seasonings for a quick, tangy side.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium cucumbers, chilled
02 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced

→ Seasonings & Umami

03 - 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
04 - 2 teaspoons sugar
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, unseasoned
06 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
07 - 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (MSG)
08 - ½ teaspoon soy sauce, gluten-free if required
09 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
10 - ¼ teaspoon white pepper (optional)
11 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus extra for garnish
12 - 1–2 teaspoons chili crisp or chili oil (optional, to taste)

# How To Make It:

01 - Wash, dry, and slice off the ends of the cucumbers. Halve each lengthwise. Gently smash the halves with the flat side of a chef's knife or rolling pin until split and cracked. Cut into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
02 - Add sea salt and sugar to the cucumbers. Toss thoroughly and let rest for 5 minutes to extract excess moisture.
03 - Drain any liquid released from the cucumbers.
04 - Incorporate rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, MSG, soy sauce, minced garlic, white pepper if using, and toasted sesame seeds. Toss until cucumbers are evenly coated.
05 - Optionally add chili crisp or chili oil to desired heat and flavor level, mixing well.
06 - Fold in the finely sliced spring onions gently.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or chill for 10 minutes to enhance crunch.
08 - Sprinkle extra toasted sesame seeds on top before serving.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It's ready in 10 minutes flat, which means you can make it while your main course is still cooking.
  • The crisp-tender texture and savory punch make it addictive—you'll find yourself eating it straight from the bowl.
  • Once you understand how MSG works, you'll stop apologizing for using it and start celebrating how it deepens every flavor.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 5-minute salt sit—it's not just about flavor, it's about texture; those cucumbers need to shed their water so they don't become waterlogged.
  • MSG isn't something to hide; it's a fundamental seasoning that makes vegetables taste more like themselves, not less.
  • The order matters: dress the cucumber after draining, not before, or you'll just be making cucumber soup.
03 -
  • If you can't find good sesame oil, don't substitute it with something else—it's too essential to the flavor; skip it entirely or order a bottle online rather than compromise.
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes if you have whole seeds on hand; the difference between toasted and raw is worth the small effort.
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