Cucumber Shaker with Vinegar MSG (Printer View)

Crisp cucumber salad tossed with rice vinegar, toasted sesame, and savory MSG for a quick, tangy side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium cucumbers, chilled
02 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced

→ Seasonings & Umami

03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
04 - 2 teaspoons sugar
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, unseasoned
06 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
07 - 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (MSG)
08 - 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (gluten-free if required)
09 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
10 - 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (optional)
11 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus extra for garnish
12 - 1 to 2 teaspoons chili crisp or chili oil (optional)

# Method Steps:

01 - Wash and dry cucumbers. Remove ends and halve each cucumber lengthwise. Gently smash cucumber halves with flat side of chef's knife or rolling pin until cracked. Slice into bite-sized pieces and transfer to large bowl.
02 - Add sea salt and sugar to cucumbers. Toss thoroughly and let sit for 5 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
03 - Pour off any released liquid from the cucumbers.
04 - Add rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, MSG, soy sauce, minced garlic, white pepper if using, and toasted sesame seeds. Toss until all pieces are evenly coated.
05 - Incorporate chili crisp or chili oil to taste for additional heat and umami depth.
06 - Gently fold the finely sliced spring onions into the mixture.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 10 minutes to enhance crunch.
08 - Sprinkle extra toasted sesame seeds on top before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes ten minutes and demands almost nothing, yet tastes like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
  • The MSG doesn't overpower; it whispers umami into every crack of the cucumber in a way that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • Crisp, bright, and refreshing without ever feeling boring or diet-y, it pairs with everything from takeout to grilled fish.
02 -
  • The smashing step isn't decorative—it cracks the cucumber's surface so the dressing penetrates instead of just pooling at the bottom, and it's where the whole salad gets its soul.
  • MSG gets nervous whispers and misunderstandings, but it's just an amino acid that makes things taste like themselves, more fully—if you've ever had Parmesan or tomato sauce that tasted impossibly savory, that's umami doing the work.
03 -
  • Keep MSG in a sealed container away from light because it absorbs moisture and gets clumpy, and a clump is harder to measure and distribute evenly than a smooth powder.
  • The sesame seeds should be toasted, not raw, because raw seeds taste papery and toasted ones taste like nutty little promises that make people wonder what you did differently.
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