Light. Refreshing. Elegant. Crab and Cucumber in a match made in heaven.
This delightful crab and cucumber salad is simple and elegant and just stunningly delicious. I have made this salad three times this week alone – it’s that good. And, Okay, my garden is overflowing with cucumbers right now. So, yeah. Cucumbers on the menu every night. It is a very flexible salad – I have used the paper thin cucumbers as a base and then put different things on top – nectarine slices, feta cheese and green onions are two different combos I have tried. All yummy.
There are three ingredients plus a dressing so delicious I may have eaten half a bowl of it with a spoon. Not confirmed, just sayin’.
The key to the salad is the dressing – it is sweet, sour, tangy and smokey – full of umami and a perfect ying-yang dressing. The Japanese name for this salad is Sunomono – which literally means “Vinegared Thing.” I made a whole bottle of the dressing just to keep in the door of my fridge.
Also, the cucumbers have to be sliced paper thin so that they are soft and pliable. Use chilled cucumbers and crab (or shrimp!) and toss with the dressing at the last minute. Amazing. And Addicting.
JAPANESE CRAB AND CUCUMBER SALAD
1 chilled cucumber, sliced paper thin
4 ounces cooked and chilled fresh lump crabmeat (or shrimp)
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce (I used Tamari)
1 tablespoon sake (optional, but highly recommended)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Place the cucumber slices in a bowl. Stir together the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil. Toss the cucumber slices in the dressing and arrange on a plate.
Add crab or shrimp.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve.
Other fab cucumber salads by food bloggers:
I have had this strawberry cucumber salad by my blogging friend Carrian at Oh Sweet Basil – and it is unique and refreshing.
This Hungarian Cucumber Salad was served at our family reunion last week – can’t go wrong with any Kalyn’s Kitchen recipe!
I must try this Cucumber, Avocado and Feta Salad by Two Peas and their Pod.
Her’s another Japanese Cucumber Salad that looks fab at Appetite for China.
Is it really 14 cups of fine vinegar or 1/4 cup of rice vinegar??
Don’t you mean 1/4 cup of rice vinegar. It says 14 cup.
Oh Dear. YES, it is 1/4 cup. Thanks for the catch Tamera!
Do you have any suggestions for a substitution for the sake?
I can see why you’ve make this salad so many times. It looks fantastic!
Thanks Dara – it is ADDICTING!
Oh my, how amazing does this sound. I’ve been using my Spiralizer to make cucumber ribbons; perfect for this! (And thanks for the shout-out for Al’s Hungarian Cucumber Salad. So good!)
Yes, I made Al’s cucumber salad and it was really yummy!
Yes, Kalyn – I think you would love this salad – I crave it!
I love this recipe! I would like to make it for a party that is 1 hour away (and then may not be eaten for another hour or so). Any suggestions? Should I wait to dress the cucumbers until I get there?
YES, Claire – I think the dressing at the last minute will help keep the cucumbers crisp, not soggy. Have fun!