Nothing can satisfy my endless craving for marinated or pickled cucumbers. I made many variations on this recipe and they were all so good that it was hard to choose one to share. This recipe is straightforward and easy to make and had truly irresistible flavors. It's crunchy, it's spicy, it has beautiful Asian flavors, and it makes your mouth water. I bet you won't be able to do anything else if you have a jar of these in your kitchen—other than dream about these cucumbers. Pure pleasure guaranteed.
Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and core. Once deseeded, slice cucumber into ½-1 inch bite-sized pieces.
In a bowl, mix the cucumber with the salt and set aside for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, use your hands to firmly squeeze the water out of the cucumber and discard the water.
In a glass container with a lid (such as a 16 oz mason jar), add the cucumber slices, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, chili (or jalapeno), and sesame oil. Screw on the lid, shake to mix and thoroughly coat, and leave on the countertop at room temperature to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
After marinating, store the cucumbers in the fridge, where they will keep well for up to one week.
Notes
Tip: You can slice these into pickle spears, or any shape you’d like! You can also use any leftover marinade to make additional batches.