Why it works: Cucumber and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,734 recipes. Both carry 2-methylbutyl acetate, which smells fruit. The science ↓
Sweet-Sour Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Salt the cucumbers
Peel the cucumbers and thinly slice them on a grater or a mouli.
Layer the sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle salt on each layer.
Let the cucumbers sit for at least ½ hour so they wilt.
Thoroughly wash off the salt.
Dress and chill
Meanwhile, mix white vinegar in about equal proportions with sugar.
Toss the cucumbers with the vinegar‑sugar mixture and chill.
Adjust the ratio to taste if desired.
For a salad of 3 cucumbers, use about ¼–1/3 cup each of vinegar and sugar.
Optionally add dill seed, but leave plain if preferred.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Cucumber + vinegartop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,734 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyl acetate (fruit).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cucumbers
- Provide the crisp, juicy bulk of the salad.
- Salt
- Draws water out of the slices so they wilt and lose some crunch.
- White vinegar
- Adds the sharp acidity that gives the salad its tang.
- Sugar (in the method)
- Balances the acidity with sweetness.
The step that matters
Thoroughly wash off the salt.. Salt drawn into the cucumbers during wilting makes the salad taste harsh and overly salty if any remains. Rinsing removes surface salt so the sweet-sour dressing sets the flavour.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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