Ensaladang Pipino
This loudmouth of a cucumber salad shows up with snap, tang, and a citrusy right hook that wakes up anything on the plate. It’s what your BBQ tofu fantasizes about when it’s stuck next to plain rice—sharp, unapologetically yummy, and dripping in calamansi goodness.
Servings: 3 Cups
Calories: 90kcal
Cost: $3
Equipment
- Mandoline optional
Ingredients
- 4 Persian cucumbers
- ½ cup shallots or red onion, sliced
- 1 bird’e eye chili thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons calamansi juice or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Optional to Garnish:
- 4 teaspoons garlic chives thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon birds eye chili thinly sliced
Instructions
- Thinly slice the cucumbers and place them in a large mixing bowl along with the sliced shallots and bird’s eye chili.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, calamansi (or lime juice), minced garlic, vegan fish sauce, sugar, sesame oil, white pepper, and salt until the sugar has fully dissolved.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumbers, shallots, and chili. Toss gently until the vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with garlic chives and additional sliced bird’s eye chili, if using. If you would like the salad cold, chill for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
⚠️ Mandoline Safety:
Use a mandoline for razor-thin, even slices, but wear a cut-proof glove or use the guard. It’s a salad, not a blood pact with your cucumber witches' coven.
⏱️ Cool Out:
Give it at least 15 minutes in the fridge. It lets the cukes soak up flavor and stay crisp and refreshing.
🥣 The Non-Reactive Avengers:
Stick with glass, ceramic, or stainless bowls. Vinegar and metal bowls sometimes make weird-tasting enemies.
Nutrition
Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1337mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg