This fun cucumber snack is inspired by the chilled cucumbers sold at Japanese summer festival food stalls. With just a few cuts and a quick soak in a simple marinade, you can enjoy this refreshing, crunchy treat at home!
5 minutes
+ 30 minutes chilling time
♪♪maron♪♪ / Yukari Aoki
PROFILE
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 2
Original recipe (1X) yields 2 servings
When scaling the recipe, the ratios of some ingredients may require slight adjustments. Adjust as necessary and season to taste.
- 1 Japanese cucumber
- A2tbsp shiro-dashi (Japanese soup base)
- A1tsp vinegar
- A1/2tsp sugar
- 1 dried red chili (sliced, optional)
DIRECTIONS
- 1
Trim off both ends of the cucumber, cut it in half, and insert a skewer or chopstick lengthwise through the center.
- 2
Holding the knife at a diagonal, rotate the cucumber and make a long, continuous spiral slit in the skin. As you rotate the cucumber, aim to make the slits of the spiral about ½ inch (1cm) apart. Be sure not to cut all the way through to the skewer!
- 3
Gently stretch the cucumber to open up the spiral.
- 4
Place the cucumber, (A) ingredients (shiro-dashi, vinegar, and sugar), and chili (if using) into a resealable bag. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
RecipeID
789
Tips & Notes
・If you don’t have shiro-dashi, you can substitute straight (undiluted) mentsuyu (Japanese noodle soup base).
・Serve cold for the best refreshing crunch—it’s perfect for hot summer days.
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Culinary Expert / Nutritionist / Food Scientist She develops recipes that taste authentic yet are easy for anyone to make. Having shared thousands of recipes across Nadia, her blog, and social media, she is highly acclaimed for her incredibly practical and beginner-friendly creations, such as her famous "Magical 30-Minute Bread" series. Leveraging her expertise as a nutritionist, she specializes in healthy dishes, breads, and desserts. She is also a proud mom of two elementary school boys.