Sesame Cucumber Salad Recipe - Vegan - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

Why is my cucumber salad watery? ›

When it comes to making the best cucumber salads, I find that unless you take the time to properly salt and drain the cukes, the end product is watery, limp, and less than tasty. This easy extra step makes extra crunchy slices, takes almost no effort at all, but gives a big payout in the crunch department.

So an ideal salad will be a medley of salad leaves, broccoli, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, seeds. But a typical desi quick fix salad for most of us is a bowl full of cucumber. We also hype cucumber as a low calorie food item, since it is a water rich vegetable (some call it a fruit).

Just place the slices or chunks in a colander over a bowl or sink. Sprinkle them with a couple of pinches of salt, toss to coat, and let them rest for about 30 minutes. Pat them dry with a paper towel and proceed with the recipe.

If you have a cucumber that's too bitter to eat, compost it. But, if the bitterness has concentrated near the stem and in the skin (where it's most likely to settle), peel the cucumber and slice off an inch or two near the stem. Many people sprinkle on salt or sugar to balance out the bitter taste.

Botanically, Cucumbers Are Fruits

Because cucumbers have seeds in the middle and grow from the flower of a cucumber plant, they are botanically a fruit. Botanical vegetables may be other edible structures of a plant, such as the leaves, stems and roots, and they do not have seeds.

Can Dogs Have Cucumbers? Cucumbers are perfectly safe for dogs to eat, and offer a low-calorie, crunchy snack that many dogs love. Cucumbers only contain about 8 calories per one-half cup of slices, compared to the 40 calories in a single medium dog biscuit. Cucumbers are also very low in sodium and fat-free.

In this recipe, I call for English cucumbers, the variety that often comes wrapped in plastic at the grocery store. They have very thin, delicate skins, so there's no need to peel them. If you can't find English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers are a great substitute.

If the cucumber has a milky, white sheen on the outside, it's a no-go. You should also inspect them for mold. Even if it looks like the mold is isolated to one spot, it is better to play it safe and just toss it in the trash. Dark spots can also be an indicator that your cucumber is no longer a viable snack option.

From weight loss, better heart health and soothing aches, pains and swellings, there is a good reason why cucumbers are a great choice to have regularly.

Can you eat too much cucumber? ›

However, eating too much of anything can cause discomfort. Eating large amounts of cucumber in one sitting may lead to stomach pain or distress. In general, it's best to eat a few ounces of cucumber at a time to prevent stomach discomfort.

How to Store Cut Cucumbers. If you cut a cucumber, refrigerate and consume it within two to three days. Place cut cucumber slices in an airtight container with a paper towel on top of the sliced cucumbers to soak up the excess moisture. For cucumbers with one sliced end, wrap the cut end in plastic wrap.

This easy cucumber salad consists of nothing more than the cucumbers, some rice vinegar, either dill or basil, and salt and pepper. You don't even really need the herbs!

The solution: The standard recommendation for ridding watery vegetable such as cucumbers of unwanted moisture is to salt them. The salt draws out the liquid from the vegetable because of the natural tendency of salt water solutions to equalize when mixed together.

Before you pack your salad away, fluff up your salad and pull any of these out. Store your clean, dry salad in an airtight plastic container lined with paper towel. The paper towel will absorb any excess water, and the airtight container will keep the salad from wilting.

If neither more tuna, potatoes, nor eggs solves the problem, it's time to consider mixing in super dry, starchy ingredients. To soak up liquids like a sponge, pantry staples like pasta or even croutons are complete game-changers that will restore a soggy salad.

When you salt cucumber pieces or slices and let them sit for 30 minutes in a colander, the salt draws out excess moisture which then drains away. This means that the cucumber will release less water into whatever dish you're adding it to, such as tzatziki, tabbouleh, Greek salad, or potato salad.