Gochujang Cucumber Salad
This recipe is inspired by a dish I had this fall at Vernick Fish, a restaurant in Philadelphia. With the flavors still fresh in my mind, I ran home and recreated it as soon as I could tossing cold, crunchy cucumber in a sticky-sweet and mildly spicy sauce made of gochujang that I punched up with a little rice vinegar and maple syrup. Piled high over a shmear of yogurt tahini sauce and topped off with toasted sesame seeds and green onion, it tasted as good and refreshing as I remembered it!
Yield: Serves 2 to 4
Gochujang Cucumber Salad
gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, egg-free, nut-free
Ingredients
- ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
- ¼ cup unsweetened plain coconut yogurt, such as Cocojune Brand
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher sea salt
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free gochujang paste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 pound baby Persian cucumbers, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- Thinly sliced green onion, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, yogurt, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, lemon juice, and salt until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate while you prepare everything else.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gochujang, sesame oil, maple syrup, and rice vinegar until well combined. Add the cucumbers and toss to coat.
- To serve, spread the tahini-yogurt out across a serving dish or wide shallow bowl. Pile the cucumbers on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion.