Cucumber corkscrews with gochujang dressing
Servings: 4
You haven’t lived til you’ve corkscrewed a cucumber! It does take a hot minute to get your head and hands around it, though, so you could easily just whack at them instead if you’re not in the mood to get technical. Gochujang is a Korean chilli paste that is full of funk and rising heat. If you’ve bought some gochujang especially to make this, why not give the wombok quick-chi a whirl with some of the leftovers? If you can’t find shiso, feel free to use more fresh coriander instead, but the broody plum tone of shiso leaf is so spesh, so if you’re already at the shops buying gochujang, check whether they’ve got some shiso in the herb section too.
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Ingredients
- 8 Lebanese cucumbers about 800 g (1 lb 12 oz)
- 1 tsp salt flakes
- 3 spring onions scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 long green chilli thinly sliced
- 1 punnet red shiso microherb leaves or shiso leaves if you can’t get micros
SPICY GOCHUJANG DRESSING
- 2 tbsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
FINAL BITS & BOBS
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp fried shallots
Instructions
- Place each cucumber between 2 chopsticks, slice one side on a 45 degree angle every 5 mm (¼ inch). Flip over and cut straight across, matching up the ends of the diagonal cuts. Sprinkle with salt flakes and toss about to coat. Set these aside to cure, then strain off the liquid after 10 minutes.
- To make the dressing, whisk together the gochujang paste, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil and grated ginger in a large bowl.
- Chuck the cucumber spirals into the bowl with the dressing and gently toss about to coat.
- Transfer the spirals and dressing onto a serving platter and toss with spring onion, chilli and herbs. Scatter with toasted sesame seeds and crispy shallots.
Notes
Recipe from Salad for Days, Murdoch Books
