Ajam, Ajad, Cucumber Relish
This thai cucumber salad recipe is ajam: cool cucumber chunks and thin shallot in a sweet-sour rice vinegar dressing, finished with chilli, lime and crushed peanut. One serving is about 196 g. This thai cucumber salad recipe serves 4 in 20 minutes and works as a cooling side or a light lunch on its own.
Ajam, also spelled ajad, is the sweet-sour cucumber relish that sits beside satay on Thai street stalls, a small bowl of cool crunch against hot grilled meat. Its dressing is the classic Thai pickle brine of vinegar, sugar and salt, with shallot and chilli for bite. Related pickles appear across South-East Asia, but the Thai version is the one tied to satay, where the sour-sweet bite cleanses the palate between skewers. This version keeps the classic vinegar-sugar dressing with no fish sauce, so it stays fully plant-based.
Pairs well with: Chicken satay with peanut sauce, jasmine rice and a cold beer or iced tea.
Provenance
Thailand
Thai Street Food
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
20m
15m prep • 5m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
126 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 196 g
Technical Skill
Easy
Easy (No Cook)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Prime Metabolic Fit
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Thai Street Food
Photo: T.Tseng, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)
Made the satay-stall way: dressing heated just enough to dissolve the sugar, cucumber cut chunky so it stays crisp.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Chunk, Slice & Crush
10 Mins • Cutting & Crushing
Halve the cucumbers, scoop out the wet seeds, and cut the flesh into thick chunks. Slice the shallots into thin rings, slice the chillies, and crush the peanuts roughly — some fine, some chunky.
Maestro Tip: Scooping out the seeds is what keeps this salad crisp instead of watery: the seeds are where most of the liquid lives.
5 Mins Low heat, ~80°C (176°F)
Put the rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small pan over low heat and stir until the sugar has fully dissolved — about 80°C (176°F), just steaming. Take it off the heat and leave it to cool completely, then stir in the lime juice.
Cool the dressing fully before it touches the cucumber, or the heat will soften the chunks.
Done when: A clear dressing that tastes sweet first, then sour, with a salty finish.
5 Mins Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)
Halve the cucumbers lengthways, run a spoon down the middle to scoop out the seeds, and cut each half into thick chunks about 2 cm across. Put them in a bowl with the sliced shallots and chillies.
Thick chunks stay crunchy for hours; thin slices go soft in minutes.
Done when: Chunky cucumber, pale green and firm, with pink shallot rings scattered through.
5 Mins Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)
Pour the cooled dressing over the cucumber, shallot and chilli and toss gently until everything is coated. Leave it to rest for 5 minutes so the cucumber takes up the sweet-sour flavour.
Five minutes is enough — longer and the cucumber starts to soften and shed water.
Done when: Glossy cucumber chunks, evenly coated, still crisp when you bite one.
5 Mins Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)
Pile the salad into a serving bowl, scatter the crushed peanuts and coriander over the top, and serve at once.
Add the peanuts last so they stay crunchy against the wet salad.
Done when: A bright bowl of green cucumber topped with golden peanut and green coriander.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve at once, while the cucumber is still crisp and the peanuts are crunchy. The dressing will soften the salad if it sits, so dress it only when you are ready to eat.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
126
kcal / serving
Protein
4g
Complete AA
Carbs
18g
Complex
Fats
5g
Healthy
| Energy | 126 kcal |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 18 g |
| Fat | 5 g |
| Fibre | 2.2 g |
| Sugar | 12.0 g |
| Sodium | 200 mg |
| Energy | 64 kcal |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9.3 g |
| Fat | 2.7 g |
| Fibre | 1.1 g |
| Sugar | 6.1 g |
| Sodium | 102 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Cucumber supplies vitamin K, shallot and chilli add vitamin C, and peanuts add vitamin E and magnesium.
Light at 126 kcal
One serving carries only 126 kcal, mostly from cucumber and a little peanut, so it adds crunch and flavour without weighing a meal down.
Fibre from Cucumber and Peanut
Each serving carries 2.2 g of fibre from the cucumber, shallot and peanut — a small but useful amount for a side salad.
Healthy Fats from Peanut
The peanuts add mostly unsaturated fats plus vitamin E and magnesium, in a small crunchy handful.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Chicken Satay
This is the classic pairing — the cool, sweet-sour salad cleanses the palate between rich, smoky satay skewers.
Jasmine Rice
Plain steamed rice soaks up the extra dressing and turns a light salad into a full lunch.
Drinks
Iced Lemongrass Tea
Cold, unsweetened lemongrass tea cools the chilli heat and suits the sharp, vinegary dressing.
Vegetables
Grilled Corn
Sweet charred corn gives a warm, smoky contrast to the cold, sour cucumber.
Complete menu
Serve the salad beside chicken satay and jasmine rice, with iced lemongrass tea — the rice soaks up the dressing and the salad cools the grilled meat.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Extra Salt or Soy Sauce
One serving already carries 200 mg of sodium, so more salty seasoning on top pushes a light salad too far. Taste before you add anything. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Making It Hours Ahead
Dressed cucumber sheds water and goes soft within an hour, and the peanuts turn soggy. Dress it only when you are ready to serve. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
Thailand
30m
High-heat wok flash of holy basil and crushed chillies over minced chicken, served over jasmine rice with a crispy-edged fried egg.
High Energy
Capsaicin brings the heat; holy basil adds a peppery, clove-like aroma.
Thailand
35m
This tom yum goong recipe builds a clear, fiery-sour broth from lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves, then finishes it with plump prawns, mushrooms and lime juice. One serving is about 460 g.
Comfort & Warmth
Hot, sour and fragrant prawn soup with lemongrass, galangal and lime.
Thailand
40m
This thai green curry recipe simmers chicken in coconut milk with green curry paste, Thai eggplant and bamboo shoots, finished with basil and a squeeze of lime. One serving is about 480 g, rice included.
Comfort & Warmth
Creamy coconut curry with green chillies, Thai basil and tender chicken.
Thailand
35m
This pad thai recipe stir-fries flat rice noodles with shrimp, egg and tofu in a tamarind, fish-sauce and palm-sugar glaze, finished with bean sprouts, peanuts and lime. One serving is about 350 g.
Street-Food Comfort
Stir-fried rice noodles in a sweet, sour and salty tamarind glaze, with shrimp, egg and tofu — the balance of flavours is the whole point.
