The Great White Salad
The Great White Salad is built from cucumber and daikon, two ingredients that reward careful handling. Salting them first pulls out excess water and concentrates their clean, crisp texture.
Rinsing after the brief salt rest is important. It removes surface salt while preserving the change in texture, so the final dressing stays balanced rather than becoming diluted.
Rice vinegar and a small amount of sweetener form the entire dressing. After tossing, give the vegetables a short rest so the acidity can penetrate without softening them too far.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups daikon, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar or another mild sweetener
Method
Place the cucumber and daikon in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave over a bowl or sink for 5–10 minutes. Rinse and gently squeeze out excess water. Stir the rice vinegar and sweetener together until dissolved, toss with the vegetables, and rest for 15–30 minutes before serving.