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READY IN 45 mins

Japanese Restaurant Cucumber Salad

Read Reviews (9)

"Simple and easy to make, with a sweet and spicy dressing that adds a refreshing bite. This recipe comes from a lovely, now-elderly Japanese woman friend who was a second-generation immigrant and patiently endured internment during WWII as a young girl. The cucumber salad is similar to sunomo in Japanese restaurants, but a bit more assertive. The ingredients are available in the Asian or ethnic foods sections of most metropolitan grocery stores. If you're diabetic, use sugar substitute instead of sugar with the same results. Original recipe called for 1 teaspoon MSG also." — MARYLAUREN

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Original recipe makes 4 servings Change Servings

2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil

1 teaspoon chili paste (sambal oelek)
salt to taste
2 large cucumbers - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

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Directions

Whisk sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chile paste, and salt together in a bowl. Add cucumbers and stir to coat. Allow salad to marinate for 30 minutes before serving at room temperature.

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PREP 15 mins
READY IN 45 mins

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jun 09, 2012

This is a very good recipe--just like what you get in a restaurant! I had some Persian cucumbers that needed to get used up, and I was lucky to find this recipe! Thank you!

—Marianne

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jun 19, 2012

I normally love sesame oil, but it doesn't work for me in this recipe. The rest of the family liked it though

—HERMAN

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11 Ratings

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Aug 19, 2012

This is a winner! Made with our fresh garden cucumbers, it is light, crunchy, refreshing with a little kick at the end. It's really good!!

—Reed

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Feb 05, 2013

I reduced the servings to 2 and found it a little dry so I doubled up on the rice vinegar, sugar, and chile. Using the called for amount of sesame oil was too much, the flavor overpowering everything. Next time I'll just add a tsp. of that. Otherwise, this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you! :o)

—cheepchick

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Sep 09, 2012

i like the recipe and make cucumber salads often. i changed it slightly. i used apple cider vinegar rather than the rice vinegar (i did have rice vinegar). i also put a little lime juice and sesame seeds on top. the chili paste is very tasty in this.

—lizanne

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Feb 26, 2013

This is so authentic and tasty! The flavor of the sesame oil is incredible. I used one large English cucumber and because I did not have chili paste, I used chili garlic sauce instead. My young children loved it as a side and I mixed some of these cucumbers with romaine lettuce and shredded rotisserie chicken. I then used the sauce as a dressing and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Delicious! I will definitely be making this again.

—triplets09

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Aug 22, 2012

Definitely serve this with a Japanese type main dish. It is very reminiscent of something I would have eaten at a Japanese restaurant like the title says. I believe it is the sesame oil, that gives it that very specific taste.

—Blender Woman

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Apr 26, 2013

Tasty even before the 30 minutes of marinading. I halved the recipe for 1/2 a large cucumber and that seemed right, so you may need to increase the dressing for 2 large cucumbers. Similar to what a Japanese friend made for me but she didn't use the chili garlic paste, which adds a nice kick, not too overpowering. thanks.

—In-a-Pickle

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Nutrition

Calories
55 kcal
3%

Carbohydrates
10.5 g
3%

Cholesterol
0 mg
0%

Fat
1.6 g
2%

Fiber
1 g
4%

Protein
0.8 g
2%

Sodium
111 mg
4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Japanese Restaurant Cucumber Salad

Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 55
Calories from Fat: 14

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1.6g 2 %
Saturated Fat 0.3g 2 %
Cholesterol 0mg 0 %
Sodium 111mg 4 %
** Potassium 207mg 6 %
Total Carbohydrates 10.5g 3 %
Dietary Fiber 1g 4 %
Protein 0.8g 2 %
** Sugars 6.5g
** Vitamin A 2 %
** Vitamin C 7 %
** Calcium 2 %
** Iron 2 %
** Thiamin 3 %
** Niacin 1 %
** Vitamin B6 6 %
** Magnesium 6 %
** Folate 11 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.