Alex Wong Shares His Asian Chili Cucumber Salad Recipe

January 30, 2025

Alex Wong developed his recipe for Asian cucumber salad after enjoying variations of the dish at different soup-dumpling restaurants. “It was always so expensive,”­ he says. “I was like, ‘I’m pretty sure this is just chili oil, and I can make my own.’ ” Wong—a former ballet dancer who now boasts a laundry list of commercial dance credits ranging from “So You Think You Can Dance” to the upcoming Amazon Prime show “Étoile”—considers himself an impatient cook and likes how quickly this salad comes together. “I usually just eat it as a snack on its own,” he says. “It also pairs well as an appetizer with anything Asian, like noodles, dumplings, or rice.

Wong is often on the road for work. When he finds himself at home, he tends to cook with what he has available. “I see what’s in the fridge, and then Google those ingredients and see what recipes pop up to get inspired. Then I will do a mishmash of those.” One of his go-to dinners—peanut-butter chili-oil noodles—was born that way. He applies the same approach to Thanksgiving (his favorite cooking day of the year), combining a number of recipes to ensure the moistest turkey possible. “I don’t like cooking for one, but I love making meals with my friends,” says Wong.

Pizza Perfection

Wong believes that, thanks to his air fryer, he’s cracked the code to reheating leftover pizza. “I love a crispy pizza, and the air fryer crisps it up nicely,” he says. “It makes everything taste better!”

Alex Wong's selfie with cucumber salad in a clear bowl
Courtesy Wong.

Ingredients

  • 5 Persian cucumbers
  • 2–2.5 tbsps chili oil or chili crisp (Wong loves Fly by Jing’s Sichuan Chili Crisp and Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili Onion. “Fly by Jing’s can be a bit spicy. Trader Joe’s isn’t very spicy but is packed with flavor,” says Wong, who often mixes them together.)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • salt, to taste (“The chili oil and soy sauce add so much flavor, that sometimes I don’t even add salt,” says Wong.)
  • optional add-ins: sugar or agave syrup, sesame seeds, sliced green onions, minced garlic (“You can switch up the recipe depending on if you want it spicier, saltier, sweeter, or more garlicky,” says Wong.)

Instructions

  1. Wash the cucumbers and slice them crosswise into quarter-inch rounds. (“If they’re too thick, they don’t absorb sauce,” says Wong.) Place them in a large bowl.
  2. Mix chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl, and pour over the cucumbers. Add salt to taste.
  3. Enjoy the salad immediately or chill it in the refrigerator, covered. (“The longer it sits, the better it gets, because the cucumbers marinate in the sauce,” says Wong.)
cucumber salad on a white porcelain plate
Courtesy Wong.