Avoid watery mishaps: Essential tips for perfect cucumber salad

Did your cucumber salad turn into a watery and unappetizing mush again? This common mistake is often to blame. However, if you give up one habit, your cucumber salad will never disappoint you again. Here are tried and tested tips for making the perfect cucumber salad that everyone should know and apply.

Cucumber salad is a humble but trendy and beloved dish always on the table. It pairs perfectly with boiled young potatoes. Add a fried egg, and you have the ideal summer lunch. However, for it to be truly perfect, the cucumbers in the salad should be crunchy. It is also essential that they do not become watery. How can you achieve this? Here are two proven solutions.

One of the most common reasons cucumbers become watery is the improper timing of adding salt to the salad. As is well known, this spice causes cucumbers to release water. One culinary school advises salting the cucumbers before adding the sour cream and letting them sit for 10 minutes. After this time, gently drain the juices and mix them with the prepared salad dressing. This way, your cucumber salad won't swim in diluted sour cream or yogurt.

If you want to maintain the crunchiness of the cucumbers, you can't deprive them of water. In this case, another method recommended by Karol Okrasa in one of the episodes of "Lidl’s Kitchen" works well. This involves cutting the vegetables into slightly thicker slices than usual and placing them in a bowl (without seasoning). In a separate bowl, prepare the dressing for the cucumber salad. Mix the ingredients right before serving the meal. This way, the cucumbers won't have time to release water and will retain their natural firmness and crunchiness.

Ingredients:

                      
• 4 pickling cucumbers,
• 2 cloves of garlic,
• 3 tablespoons of 18% sour cream,
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of vinegar,
• a small bunch of dill,
• salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.

Preparation:

1. Wash the cucumbers and cut them into thin slices.
2. Salt the cucumbers and let them sit for 10 minutes to release water. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing: combine the sour cream with chopped dill, pressed garlic, vinegar, or lemon juice. Add pepper and sugar to taste, and avoid adding salt, as the cucumbers are already salty.
3. Drain the cucumbers and mix them with the prepared dressing.
4. You can also use the second method: cut the cucumbers into thick slices but do not season them, and mix with the prepared dressing just before serving.