Slinky Umami Cucumbers

Written By Yaz Demmers

Stop settling for boring meals

Adulthood can get so bland if you let it. Paying taxes, going to bed on time and making sure you eat enough veggies. That’s why any time I can take an extra step to add a hint of whimsy into the most mundane, I always will. Only 30 seconds of extra prep time and a little tip in technique, combined with a umami packed marinade, and these cucumbers transform into something you can genuinely look forward to eating.

tailor to your taste

Don’t have Shaoxing wine? Go ahead and use Mirin. Can’t handle a lil heat? Sub the chili crunch for sesame seeds & toasted sesame oil for a more mild take.

Ingredients 🥒

You’ll Need:

  • 6–8 small snacking cucumbers or 2 large ones (if that’s what you’re working with lol)

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1–2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

  • Green onions, thinly sliced

  • 3/4 cup soy sauce

  • Hefty splash of Shaoxing Cooking Wine

  • 1-2 Tbs of Chili crunch/Chili Oil

  • 1 Tbs sugar or honey (optional)

  • 1/2 tsp of white pepper

  • Big sprinkle of MSG- a.k.a. 1-2 tsp (Don’t skip this, it gives SOOOO much flavor)

  • Sesame seeds and more green onions to finish

  • Salt, to taste

Mix Your Marinade, darling-

Throw all your ingredients in a bowl then mix until everything comes together in a decadent, gorgeous dark gloss worth diving into. Taste it and get comfortable playing with your food.💋

And by that I mean tailor it to your palette! Make it something you’re almost tempted to drink. Add a pinch of this, a few more drops of that, let yourself explore what makes the dish appeal to YOUR taste buds.

The Technique 🥢

How to turn the basic cukes into stunning spirals-
Place a cucumber between two chopsticks—this keeps you from slicing all the way through. Using a sharp knife, slice straight down (vertical cuts) all the way down one side. Then, flip the cucumber over, and on the other side make thin diagonal cuts at approximately a 45 degree angle or so. Gently stretch it out and there you have it—you’ve got yourself a bouncy, twisty, little slinky of a cucumber just ready to be drenched in a flavorful marinade.

Pour your marinade over, then spoon in all of those lovely aromatics into every little twist, curve & cranny of your cukes. Let them soak up all of those harmonious flavors then enjoy. These will be great in the fridge for a day or two before they start to turn soggy!


A note On MSG

MSG, or monosodium glutamate, gets an unfair bad rap, but it’s actually found naturally in tons of our favorite foods—like tomatoes, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese. It’s simply a concentrated form of umami, that deep satisfyingly savory flavor we crave in dishes like ramen or cheetos. Despite the myths, decades of scientific research—including from the FDA and the World Health Organization—have shown that MSG is safe to eat for the vast majority of people. So unless you have a rare sensitivity, there's no need to fear it—just enjoy the flavor boost.

✨Learn to use it in your cooking like you would salt or sugar, and watch your dishes transform!✨

Yaz Demmers
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