Korean Cucumber Salad

For our Korean Wine & Dine event, my friend Tom helped prepare this dish! It’s a wonderfully refreshing salad, perfect in warm weather with a nice subtle hint of heat.

1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 green onion, sliced
1/2 carrot, julienned

In a medium bowl, stir together vinegar, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in sesame seeds, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until seeds are brown, about 5 minutes. Remove seeds with a slotted spoon, and stir into vinegar mixture. Mix in cucumber, green onions, and carrot. Cover, and refrigerate at least 5 minutes.