Spiral Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad (VIDEO)

A chinese spirlal chili garlic cucumber salad in a bowl with the chili garlic soy dressing.

5 from 7 votes

Spiral Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad (VIDEO)

This is my easy recipe on how to make the famous spiral Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad that you've seen all over social media! It's a refreshing snack that you can make in minutes with a fun trick.

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Equipment

Chopsticks

Ingredients

1 lb cucumber Persian or English
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp sugar
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp chili oil try my homemade version!
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 scallions
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chopped red chili optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Wash the cucumber and cut the ends off of each end.
Using a pair of chopsticks or two even sticks to hold the cucumber into place, use a sharp knife and make small cuts at a 45 degree angle over chopsticks, making sure to not cut all the way through. Flip and make slices perpendicular to the first set of cuts. Try to make as many as possible along the cucumber!
Mix with salt and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove excess water and rinse off the salt and drain. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
To make the dressing, mix rice vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, chili oil, soy sauce, scallions, and sesame oil, and red chilis, if using.
Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl in circular fashion and pour the dressing, ensuring the dressing soaks into all parts of the cucumber. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Video

Notes

cucumber - I used Persian cucumbers in this recipe because they are thin skinned (so no need to peel) and have very few seeds. Be sure to salt and drain any excess moisture from the cucumbers to keep them crisp.
rice vinegar - in a pinch you can also use apple cider vinegar.
chili oil - I used homemade Chili Oil but you can also use store bought.
chopped red chili, optional - I added chopped red chilis for an extra kick - adjust to your own spice tolerance.

Use a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks or ones you don't care too much about when cutting the cucumber - the knife may end up making marks on the chopsticks but are a great guide to ensure you don't cut all the way through the cucumber!

Store this cucumber salad in an airtight container for 3-4 day in the refrigerator. The cucumbers will continue to release moisture as they sit - this is normal but you may find that the dressing becomes slightly diluted.

Nutrition