ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

I LOVE THE CUCUMBER SALADS I SOMETIMES ORDER WITH MY SUSHI.  THEY ARE VINEGARY AND CRISP, OFTEN SCATTERED WITH BLACK SESAME SEEDS AND PAIRED WITH SEAWEED.  I WASN'T SURE HOW TO MAKE THE DRESSING SO I EXPERIMENTED WITH RICE WINE VINEGAR AND A SPLASH OF SESAME OIL. NO SEAWEED BUT RED ONION INSTEAD.  I DIDN'T HAVE BLACK SESAME SEEDS SO I USED WHITE.  PARSLEY ISN'T TYPICALLY ASIAN.  IF I'D HAD IT I WOULD'VE USED CILANTRO OR MINT, WHICH IS WHAT I'LL DO NEXT TIME.  BUT I LIKED THE WAY IT TURNED OUT, SO I'M SHARING WITH YOU.  IT MIGHT BETTER BE CALLED "SUBSTITUTE SALAD".

 3 MEDIUM PERSIAN OR JAPANESE CUCUMBERS
 4 tbsp RICE WINE VINEGAR
 1 tsp SESAME OIL
 1 tbsp LEMON JUICE
 1 SMALL RED ONION
 1 tbsp BLACK OR WHITE SESAME SEEDS
 PARSLEY, CILANTRO AND/OR MINT
1

PUT A PINCH OF SALT AND SOME GRINDINGS OF FRESH PEPPER IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SALAD BOWL.

WHISK IN 4 TBSPS OF RICE WINE VINEGAR AND THE JUICE OF HALF A LEMON. WHISK IN 1 TSP OF SESAME OIL.

PEEL AND SLICE ONION LENGTHWISE IN HALF. SLICE EACH HALF INTO THIN HALF MOONS. ADD TO THE SALAD BOWL. MIX WITH THE DRESSING AND SEPARATE WITH A FORK.

SLICE THE CUCUMBERS 1/8 INCH THICK. FOLD IN WITH THE ONIONS.

USING A SMALL (PREFERABLY CAST IRON) FRYING PAN TOAST THE SESAME SEEDS OVER MEDIUM HEAT TILL YOU CAN SMELL THEIR SCENT.

SCATTER ON TOP OF THE CUCUMBERS ALONG WITH THE FRESH HERBS.

SERVES 4

Ingredients

 3 MEDIUM PERSIAN OR JAPANESE CUCUMBERS
 4 tbsp RICE WINE VINEGAR
 1 tsp SESAME OIL
 1 tbsp LEMON JUICE
 1 SMALL RED ONION
 1 tbsp BLACK OR WHITE SESAME SEEDS
 PARSLEY, CILANTRO AND/OR MINT

Directions

1

PUT A PINCH OF SALT AND SOME GRINDINGS OF FRESH PEPPER IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SALAD BOWL.

WHISK IN 4 TBSPS OF RICE WINE VINEGAR AND THE JUICE OF HALF A LEMON. WHISK IN 1 TSP OF SESAME OIL.

PEEL AND SLICE ONION LENGTHWISE IN HALF. SLICE EACH HALF INTO THIN HALF MOONS. ADD TO THE SALAD BOWL. MIX WITH THE DRESSING AND SEPARATE WITH A FORK.

SLICE THE CUCUMBERS 1/8 INCH THICK. FOLD IN WITH THE ONIONS.

USING A SMALL (PREFERABLY CAST IRON) FRYING PAN TOAST THE SESAME SEEDS OVER MEDIUM HEAT TILL YOU CAN SMELL THEIR SCENT.

SCATTER ON TOP OF THE CUCUMBERS ALONG WITH THE FRESH HERBS.

SERVES 4

ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD
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