Ajaat, a Thai cucumber salad for satay, is a simple, light, and refreshing side dish typically served on the side with Thai satay. The sweet, sour, and crispy relish with a spicy tinge is a perfect summer condiment to serve alongside your grilled food or as a side salad.
Thai cucumber salad is served with satays like this easy chicken satay recipe or Thai shrimp cakes with sweet chili sauce. Also meant to be served with yellow curry, like this Thai pork belly with yellow curry. Give it a whirl, it's delicious!
Jump to:
- The complete Thai satay experience
- What Is Ajaat, or Thai Cucumber Salad for Satay?
- Recipes that pair well with Thai cucumber salad
- Why This Recipe Works
- What Goes Into Ajaat Recipe?
- How To Make Thai Cucumber Salad for Satay
- Helpful Kitchen Notes
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Thai Recipes You’ll love
- Thai Cucumber Salad for Satay, อาจาด
The complete Thai satay experience
Eating Thai Satay doesn’t seem complete without the satay chicken, satay dipping sauce, and a crispy Ajaat salad. These three recipes are a must for a completely authentic Thai satay experience.
The salty, sweet, spicy, and grilled flavors complement each other incredibly well. Combining all three gives you all the exciting Asian flavors in one setting!
It is becoming one of our family and friends' favorite salad recipes this summer. It offers the best flavor for a simple side dish!
What Is Ajaat, or Thai Cucumber Salad for Satay?
Ajaat or Ajaad is a Thai cucumber salad made with sliced cucumbers, shallots, and chilis quickly pickled with vinegar, sugar, and salt and topped off with fresh cilantro. This simple recipe uses simple ingredients but holds all the bold flavors found often in Thai food.
This easy Thai cucumber salad recipe is a great side dish with several Thai dishes. Serving this delicious and cool cucumber salad as a side dish to spicy dishes helps temper the spiciness Thai food is known for.
Recipes that pair well with Thai cucumber salad
The following easy recipes are the perfect pair for this delicious salad. Easy chicken satay recipe, Thai shrimp cakes with sweet chili sauce, Thai pork belly with yellow curry, or Easy Thai yellow curry with chicken.
Why This Recipe Works
- This Asian cucumber salad recipe is incredibly easy and quick to make. It can be done in 15-20 minutes. It's a perfect side dish to add to any meal.
- There are different ways you can jazz up this great recipe. Adding fresh chili peppers or red pepper flakes is a great way to add an extra touch of heat to this delicious recipe.
- It’s light, refreshing, and delicious and can be eaten as a light lunch and makes a very good salad full of great flavor.
- You can double or triple the batch and serve it as a salad in a large salad bowl. It's an excellent addition to backyard BBQs. Sprinkle green onions and diced bell peppers for extra veggies. It's becoming one of our guests' favorite salads.
- You can even turn this crunchy Thai cucumber salad into a salad dressing by chopping all the fresh ingredients into smaller pieces and serving it on a tangy dressing for other dishes!
What Goes Into Ajaat Recipe?
Below are salad ingredients to make Ajaat or Thai Cucumber Salad for Satay. Check the printable recipe card below for exact measurements and nutritional information.
- Cucumber. Use small crispy cucumbers for the Ajaat recipe. English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, or Armenian cucumbers. If using regular cucumbers, peel off the waxy skin before making the salad. If you're working with older or more seedy cucumbers, just cut the pieces into smaller pieces.
- Shallot. Red onions are acceptable as a substitute. Use less because it has a more robust flavor than the shallots.
- Fresh chilis. Use fresh Thai chilis. Red or green ones work great. For substitute, you can use serrano or jalapeno peppers substitute.
- Vinegar. Use distilled white vinegar. Try apple cider vinegar as a substitute, but you will need a little more as it is not as strong. Rice wine vinegar is also a great substitute for distilled white vinegar. The tangy rice vinegar mixed with crisp cucumbers makes this perfect summer side dish.
- Sugar. I used white granulated sugar for this recipe. But the dish can easily be made into healthy recipes by substituting sugar with monk fruit sugar or any natural sweetener. You may need a little extra to get just the right amount of sweetness needed for your salad.
- Salt. Use sea salt if possible. If not, use a little fish sauce and play with the flavors until content.
How To Make Thai Cucumber Salad for Satay
Step 1. Combine sugar, salt, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a whisk until the water is nearly boiling and the salt and sugar completely dissolve. Set aside to cool.
Step 2. Sliced the vegetables into small pieces and added them to a small bowl. First, cut the cucumber slices into half-moon-shaped pieces depending on the size of the cucumber. Second, julienned the shallot or small red onion into long thin pieces. Third, dice the chilis into small pieces using a sharp knife. Combine the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3. Pour the liquid over the salad once the sauce is cooled to room temperature. Sprinkled with chopped cilantro and crunchy peanuts. Serve immediately with your satay, shrimp cakes, or yellow curry. Enjoy! Store leftover salad (if any) in airtight containers for 1 day only. Best to eat it up rather than have leftovers.
Helpful Kitchen Notes
- Make the sauce before starting my satay on the grill to allow the liquid to cool completely.
- Use ground chili flakes or diced dried chilis if you don't have fresh chilis. You need a little heat but can completely omit the peppers if desired.
- Though this Thai relish is a side dish, you can also use it as a main dish. Make double or triple the amount. It’s so tasty!
- Turn this recipe into a spicy Thai cucumber salad by adding more chilis to make it hot. If you like mild flavor in food and it's your first time making Thai cucumber salad, omit the chilis. You'll still get so much flavor offered in the salad.
Storage
Ajaad is best served fresh or on the same day. Leftovers lose their flavors, freshness, and crunchiness. The vegetables become soggy and brown. They come in small servings, so it's best to try to finish it all in one setting if possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thai satay is typically served with a side of peanut sauce, a Thai pickled cucumber relish like this one and a side of plain toast.
The spiciness of Ajaat, Ajad, or Ajaat dishes can easily be modified with how many chilis you use. It’s totally up to you on this one! (:
Use fresh Thai chilis and shallots to make the most authentic Thai cucumber relish for satay. Also, this recipe uses vinegar as a sour flavor rather than lemon or lime juice. It has more of a kick to offset the sugar and salt in the sauce.
Yes, you can. Make the dressing ahead but do not mix in with the sliced vegetables just before serving to keep the vegetables fresh and crunchy.
More Thai Recipes You’ll love
- Easy chicken satay recipe
- Thai shrimp cakes with sweet chili sauce
- Thai pork belly with yellow curry
- Easy Thai yellow curry with chicken
- Thai green mango salad with cashew
- Thai glass noodles salad with shrimp
- Thai beef salad
- Namtok Thai beef waterfall salad
- Thai green papaya salad
- Thai spicy dressings, Nam Jim Jaew Recipe without sugar, and Spicy mango dipping sauce. Two of my favorite spicy recipes for summer dishes.
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Print
Thai Cucumber Salad for Satay, อาจาด
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1.5 cups 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Ajaat recipe, a Thai cucumber salad for satay, is a simple, light, refreshing side dish typically served with satays. The sweet and sour with a tinge of spicy is a perfect summer condiment.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped small
- ¼ cup shallot, chopped small
- 1-3 fresh Thai chilis, diced small
- ⅓ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 stems of cilantro (about 1 tablespoon, chopped) chopped small
Instructions
- Combine sugar, salt, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a whisk until the water is nearly boiling and the salt and sugar completely dissolve. Set aside to cool.
- Sliced the vegetables into small pieces and added them to a small bowl. First, cut the cucumber slices into half-moon-shaped pieces depending on the size of the cucumber. Second, julienned the shallot or small red onion into long thin pieces. Third, dice the chilis into small pieces using a sharp knife. Combine the rest of the ingredients.
- Pour the liquid over the salad once the sauce is cooled to room temperature. Sprinkled with chopped cilantro and crunchy peanuts. Serve immediately with your satay, shrimp cakes, or yellow curry. Enjoy! Store leftover salad (if any) in airtight containers for 1 day only. Best to eat it up rather than have leftovers.
Notes
- Make the sauce before starting my satay on the grill to allow the liquid to cool completely.
- Use ground chili flakes or diced dried chilis if you don't have fresh chilis. You need a little heat but can completely omit the peppers if desired.
- Though this Thai relish is a side dish, you can also use it as a main dish. Make double or triple the amount. It’s so tasty!
- Turn this recipe into a spicy Thai cucumber salad by adding more chilis to make it hot. If you like mild flavor in food and it's your first time making Thai cucumber salad, omit the chilis. You'll still get so much flavor offered in the salad.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Thai
Lindsay says
Cucumber salad is one of my favorite summer side dishes, but I have to say that ajaat is my new favorite variety. It has the perfect combination of sour, sweet, spicy and salty with that great cucumber crunch. I should have made more! Now I want to try your recipe for Isaan cucumber salad, I just have to find some pla ra first. I love strong funky flavors.
Lizie says
I love cucumbers and loved this take on a cucumber salad! Thank you Suwanee!
Ann says
Such delightful salad!
Cassie T. says
The cucumber salad is actually secretly my favorite part of the chicken satay meal, and this recipe DELIVERED! Wow! I made it along with the satay sauce and chicken satay recipes, and my kids were literally licking their plates. This is a new favorite that has earned a place in our regular meal plan rotation! Thank you Suwanee!!