Quick Asian Pickled Cucumbers

Step 1

Wash the cucumbers and cut off the ends. Do not peel the cucumbers. You can run a fork down the sides for an interesting look. See the blog post for a photo.

Step 2

Slice the cucumbers thinly using a knife, mandoline slicer, or vegetable peeler. The slices should be no more than one-quarter inch thick.

Step 3

Place the cucumber slices in a bowl and sprinkle them with salt. Toss to evenly distribute the salt. Let them sit for about 15-20 minutes to release excess moisture.

Step 4

While the cucumbers are resting, prepare the pickling marinade. In a separate bowl, mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, agave, ginger paste, and minced garlic. Add the red pepper flakes if you will be using them.

Step 5

After the cucumbers have released moisture, do NOT rinse the salt off, but lift them out of the bowl with a slotted spoon and place the cucumbers into the vinegar mixture. You will be discarding 3-4 tablespoons of salty water from the cucumbers.

Step 6

After adding the cucumbers to the marinade, toss to coat them evenly. Place the prepared cucumbers in a container with a lid. Pour 1/2-1 cup cold water over the top just to cover the cucumbers. Give it a little stir. Allow the cucumbers to marinate in the mixture for at least 30 minutes to an hour, or refrigerate for a few hours to intensify the flavors.

Step 7

Top with optional sliced red chili, sesame seeds, and shallots or chopped green onions for an extra kick and visual appeal.