Name: Avocado and Cucumber Salad
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 English cucumber , cut into ½-inch pieces (3 cups); ½ teaspoon table salt for salting cucumber; 2 tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise; 2 teaspoons sriracha; ½ teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar , divided; 3 scallions , sliced thin on bias; 1 tablespoon pickled ginger , minced; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 2 teaspoons sesame seeds , toasted; ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 2 ripe avocados , quartered, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces; 1/2 cup crumbled roasted seaweed snacks , plus extra sheets for serving

Why This Recipe Works

This salad is a vibrant twist on the classic flavors of cucumber-avocado maki. Salting the cucumbers in a colander helped season them throughout and removed excess moisture, and cubed avocado provided a rich, buttery creaminess to contrast the crisp cucumbers. Pickled ginger added a zesty kick to a savory sesame-soy vinaigrette. A finishing drizzle of spicy sriracha mayo and a sprinkle of crumbled seaweed snacks tied everything together.

Before You Begin

You can substitute another brand of mayonnaise for the Kewpie. Roasted seaweed snacks are sold in packages that typically range in weight from 0.14 ounces to 0.35 ounces; you will need about 0.28 ounces of plain roasted seaweed snacks for the ½ cup crumbled here. We like to serve this salad with extra seaweed snacks for rolling around scoopfuls of salad.

Instructions

Toss 3 cups chopped English cucumber and ½ teaspoon table salt together in colander set in sink and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Whisk 2 tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons sriracha, and ½ teaspoon vinegar together in small bowl; set aside.

Combine salted cucumber, 3 thinly sliced scallions, 1 tablespoon minced pickled ginger, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar in large bowl and toss to combine. Gently fold in 2 ripe avocados (chopped into ½-inch pieces).

Transfer salad to serving platter. Drizzle with sriracha mayo and sprinkle with ½ cup crumbled roasted seaweed snacks. Serve with extra seaweed snacks.