what you need
5-6 cucumbers of choice (I prefer Kirby or Persian cucumbers)
Ideally, a mandolin
4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
4oz instant rice vermicelli noodles
1/4 cup toasted peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/8 red onion, sliced very thinly
how to make it
Ideally, you make this dish using a mandolin, but feel free to slice your cucumbers by hand if you’re so ambitious. Slice them up super thinly along with the red onion and toss in a mixing bowl along with your sesame seeds.
Mix vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil together in a small cup, and pour over cucumber mixture. Toss generously to combine. Add a pinch of salt and let stand in refrigerator while you prepare the vermicelli noodles (blanch in boiling water for a few minutes until just cooked through, then rinse in cold water).
Drain the noodles and add in small clumps to the cucumber salad, tossing between each addition to coat thoroughly in the sauce that will have accumulated at the bottom of the bowl. Top with toasted peanuts and serve cold.
If you are making this ahead of time, leave the peanuts off until you are about to serve.
