Copy Cat Din Tai Fung Cucumber salad
Description
Din Tai Fung's famous cucumber salad is a simple yet incredibly refreshing dish that perfectly balances flavors. This delightful appetizer features crisp, chilled cucumbers that are marinated in a savory and slightly sweet sauce, making it a perfect palate cleanser and a great start to any meal.
To make this dish, you start with fresh cucumbers, which are sliced into thick rounds or cut into sticks. These are then lightly salted to draw out excess moisture, making them even crisper. The marinade typically consists of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and a touch of sugar for sweetness. Some variations might include a hint of chili oil for a mild kick.
Once the cucumbers are thoroughly marinated, they're garnished with extra chili oil for an extra burst of flavor and a bit of visual flair. The result is a dish that's both refreshing and flavorful, with a perfect balance of salty, sweet, and tangy notes.
It's an easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing dish that's perfect for hot summer days or as a light, zesty complement to a rich main course. 🥒✨
Ingredients
Instructions
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Prep the Cucumbers:
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Wash the cucumbers thoroughly.
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Slice them into thick rounds or cut them into sticks, depending on your preference.
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Salt the Cucumbers:
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Sprinkle a bit of salt over the cucumber slices.
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Let them sit for about 10-15 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then rinse and pat dry.
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Make the Marinade:
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In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, minced garlic, garlic powder, and sugar
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Marinate the Cucumbers:
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Add the prepped cucumbers to the bowl with the marinade.
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Toss the cucumbers in the marinade until they are evenly coated.
- Let it soak for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before serving. The sweet spot eating anywhere between 1-4 hours. After that it'll start getting soggy and the water will leave the cucumber into the marinate
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Eat Eat Eat
- Stack onto a plate and drizzle additional chili oil for fancy plating
- Otherwise eat it straight from the marinate dish like the savage you were born to be, and yeah i used the verb instead of the noun
- Pro tip: the left over marinade makes a great sauce for dumplings or gyoza. Â
