Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad Recipe
Din Tai Fung's cucumber salad is a refreshing Taiwanese dish that combines crisp cucumbers with bold flavors from a special dressing. It's a perfect side dish that's easy to make in just 10 minutes at home, offering a balance of sweet, sour, and spicy notes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of Persian cucumbers sliced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 garlic clove thinly sliced
- 1 Fresno chili pepper seeds removed and cut into small diamonds
- 2½ tablespoons of rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon of Din Tai Fung chili oil
- 1½ teaspoons of vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons of granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Wash and slice 3 Persian cucumbers into 1/2" rounds.
- Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and let sit for 25 minutes.
- Drain excess water from cucumbers.
- Mix dressing ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic.
- Combine cucumbers with dressing.
- Add sesame and chili oil.
- Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make sure to use Persian cucumbers for the best texture.
- Salting the cucumbers before making the salad helps remove moisture and enhances the flavor.
- The salad can be made ahead of time, but the dressing should be added just before serving to maintain the crispness of the cucumbers.
- To make the salad spicier, adjust the amount of chili oil or Fresno chili pepper to your taste.
- If you don't have Persian cucumbers, you can substitute them with English cucumbers or baby cucumbers.