Eat-with-Everything Cucumber Salad

No matter which restaurant you’re in, ALWAYS order the cucumber salad. It’s a refreshing palate cleanser and truly goes with everything. Here, the dressing is potent with soy sauce and vinegar, and the cucumbers soak it up. So will you. Now, I’m not a stickler for how you cut the cucumbers, but I cut them into generous, irregular, angled pieces because I want to experience their snappy texture in every bite. If you’re craving a creamy cucumber salad, follow these cutting-and-salting instructions and then top with Extra-Sesame Dressing (this page) and some toasted sesame seeds.

Uh-oh! We're unable to calculate nutrition for this recipe because some ingredients aren't recognized.

Step 1

Halve each cucumber lengthwise, then slice on a steep diagonal into 2- to 3-inch pieces, but don’t get the ruler out—imperfection is what we’re after. Season with salt.

Step 2

In a large serving bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger. Add the cucumbers and toss to coat. Taste a cucumber and see if it needs a sprinkle more of salt. Top with the sesame seeds and spoon over the garlic-chile oil. Give another little toss and serve.

Step 3

Do Ahead

Step 4

The cucumber salad can be made a day ahead and chilled. If you somehow don’t eat it all at once, it’ll really soak up the dressing and become even more delicious.

Step 5

Choosing Cucumbers

Step 6

I favor Persian cucumbers for their thin skin and tight, crunchy texture. If you’re in the peak of summer, look for Armenian cucumbers that have furrowed green stripes or the Japanese variety that tangle and curl like pythons and don’t have as many seeds. Please avoid (if you possibly can) the conventional garden cucumber with its thick, waxy skin and seedy flesh that has the texture of Styrofoam.