Sweet Mandarin Cucumber Salad Food

ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

Asian Cucumber Salad image

An easy Asian Cucumber Salad with vibrant, sweet and sour Sesame Garlic dressing. This salad is refreshing treat for all Cucumber Salad Lovers. Sliced cucumbers with quick mix of dressing, and it is The perfect addition to summer meal. Dressing is vinegar based and is lite without any dairy, too-much oil, or nuts. (I'm also sharing tips to make an always-crunchy-not-watery-cucumber-salad. Don't miss to read.)Today's recipe is inspired from a local Asian Dumpling restaurant. This cucumber salad is their top seller. I usually don't order simple salads for starters but a filling, layered, full-meal kinda salad is my thing. One day, Vishal insisted me to try this Cucumber Salad. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Salad was two spiralized mini Asian seedless cucumbers with drizzle of sweet and sour dressing. With aroma of sesame oil, first sweet and sour flavor the taste buds, then crunchy cucumber and it finishes with a tiny bit lingering heat. I recommend three things when trying this salad:1. Don't skimp on dressing. Drizzle some on salad. Save some to use before eating.2. Keep heat low. It does not hit taste buds until bite is finished. If unsure, try dressing with a slice of cucumber to test.3. For best flavor, serve salad chilled.Always Crunchy Cucumber SaladEven an easy Cucumber Salad such as this can get tricky when cucumber starts to release water and eventually loose crunch.Fact is, vegetables like Cucumber, Summer Squash are filled with water. As soon as salt or acid comes in contact with sliced cucumber or zucchini, these release most water out. To prevent this (or more realistically minimize it), I use following methods to prepare a crunchy Cucumber Salad:1. Make Salad Just Before Serving:This is the easiest and simplest method ever. Make Salad Dressing and store in separate container. It stays good for more than 2 weeks. Slice cucumber slightly thick slices. Just before serving, drizzle dressing on top, and season with pinch of salt. Serve immediately.2. Salt Cure Cucumber (make cucumber giveaway most water):It is the most common method used to draw moisture out of vegetables. Slice the cucumber and sprinkle slightly with salt on both sides. Leave aside in strainer for 15-20 minutes. You will be amazed how much water 2 cucumbers yield in matter of 15-20 minutes. Once drained, then transfer to paper towel to soak extra moisture hanging outside completely. Or Pat dry with clean paper towel.That's it. These 20 minutes are a huge investment in making a perfect Cucumber Salad. A cucumber salad that you will not find in pool of water. This cured cucumber can be used for all kind cucumber salad. Traditional creamy, or lite such as today's recipe.Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing:A perfect Asian salad dressing is sweet, tangy and has bit of heat. You can add these three flavors with many ingredients. I used following for this recipe.For Cucumber Salad, vinegar dressing is my favorite. It keeps salad lite, tangy, and add big punch of flavor. I used Rice Vinegar (unseasoned) which is perfect for that distinct refreshing Asian flavor. Unseasoned vinegar helps control the salt of recipe. Since dressing also has soy and sambal. It is best to use unseasoned vinegar to adjust the seasoning.For sweetness, I use regular sugar. It is important to mix it well so it dissolved fully. You can also use honey, agave, palm nectar, or no-sugar sweet substitutes if you prefer.Oh, have you tried my Chinese Chicken Salad with Honey-Mustard dressing? That dressing is also sweet and sour but uses mustard and honey. Must try!Spiralized or Thin Sliced:This salad is very forgiving. Use your favorite method of slicing cucumber. I prefer to spiralize it when serving immediately. When bringing to potluck or serving later, I prefer thick sliced cucumber.If you love cucumber, this will be your favorite salad all summer long. Simple, easy yet bold pack-a-punch sweet-sour flavor.. It always makes a statement when I serve it to my guests. In-fact, recipe is so quick, I even make some for weekend grilling. I hope you will enjoy it as mush as we do.Wish you a wonderful day ahead.

Provided by Savita

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 Cucumber, large hothouse or 6-7 persian cucumbers, sliced or spiralized
2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Sambal Chili Paste, or 2 tsp, if you prefer more heat
1.5 tbsp Sugar, white sugar
2 tsp Soy Sauce, gluten free Tamari
Salt
1.5 tsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp Garlic, 1-2 cloves, grated

Steps:

If making salad to serve immediately, proceed to Step - 2. Place sliced cucumber in a strainer, sprinkle lightly with salt. Place strainer on a rimmed plate for dripping. Refrigerate until ready to use (at least 15-20 minutes, max 2 hrs).
While cucumbers release water, make the dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients with grated garlic and 1/8 tsp of salt in a bowl. Whisk to emulsify oil with vinegar, until sugar has fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sambal chili paste, and salt per preference.
Once ready to serve, transfer cucumber from strainer to paper towel to soak all moisture hanging around. Pat dry gently without breaking the pieces.
Transfer cucumber to serving platter/salad bowl. Drizzle all of dressing on top. Serve immediately and enjoy!

SWEET AND TANGY CUCUMBER SALAD

Sweet and Tangy Cucumber Salad image

This sweet and tangy side dish sent in by Mary Farley comes together in a snap. "I often take this to church potlucks," she writes from Wasilla, Alaska. "It is so pretty and colorful with the red pepper and unpeeled cucumbers."

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 15m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

3 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
1 small sweet red pepper, julienned
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dill seed

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 94 calories, Fat 0 fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 888mg sodium, Carbohydrate 23g carbohydrate (19g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 1g protein.

SWEET CUCUMBER SALAD

Sweet Cucumber Salad image

A sweet and tangy cucumber salad. Perfect for a hot summer day! If you can prepare this the night before you need it, it will be better then if you made it right beforehand. I've also made this with added tomatoes.

Provided by boerbabe

Categories Vegetable

Time 15m

Yield 2 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

1 large cucumber
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 small purple onion
3/4 cup water

Steps:

Put water, sugar, and vinegar into small pan and bring to boil to dissolve the sugar. Turn off and let cool.
Dice the cucumber and onion.
When liquid is cool, pour over cucumber and onions and place in fridge for at least an hour.
Serve cold.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 248.9, Fat 0.2, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 12.1, Carbohydrate 59.6, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 54.3, Protein 1.4

SWEET CUCUMBER SALAD

Sweet Cucumber Salad image

Pair this simple side with any grilled entree for a fabulous hot-and-cold combination you're sure to love. -Marlene Kroll, Chicago, Illinois

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch Side Dishes

Time 15m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

3 cups thinly sliced quartered cucumber
2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
DRESSING:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps:

In a salad bowl, combine cucumber and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 64 calories, Fat 0 fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 297mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (14g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

SWEET CUCUMBER AND MANDARIN ORANGE SALAD

Sweet Cucumber and Mandarin Orange Salad image

Here's one I've yet to try- from "At Home in the Kitchen" by Jorg Morgan. Her recipes are usually grand!! Prep time includes chilling time.

Provided by Kizzikate

Categories Oranges

Time 1h15m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced into very thin rounds (app. 2 cups)
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 medium sweet onion, sliced into very thin rings (app. 1 cup)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
salt & pepper, to taste

Steps:

In a serving bowl, combine the cucumbers, oranges, and onion rings.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and vinegar until the sugar dissolves.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumber salad. Toss well.
Add chopped tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.
Chill 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 77.8, Fat 0.4, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 5.2, Carbohydrate 18.4, Fiber 2.2, Sugar 12.9, Protein 1.5