Rinse and pat dry the cucumbers. Trim the tip ends.

Place one cucumber between two chopsticks that you don’t mind scuffed up. This prevents you from cutting through (i.e. break) the cucumbers.

Make thin straight cuts on the top, about 2mm slices.

Flip the cucumber over (with the unsliced surface facing you), make thin slices on diagonal at 45 degrees.

Optional step. Cut the cucumber into halves. This will be easier to eat. Or you can leave them in whole for a more dramatic presentation.

In a large bowl, add the cucumbers and sprinkle with salt. Use your hands to gently rub/distribute the salt to each piece. Take care not to break the cucumber. Set a timer and refrigerate for 15 minutes only.

In the meantime, make the salad dressing:

In a dry cast iron skillet, add the sesame seeds and toast over low heat for about 2-3 minutes. Stir the seeds often with a spatula or gently rock the skillet back-and-forth to keep the sesame from burning.

Off heat, grind the seeds with a pestle and mortar (or a clean coffee grinder) until smooth.

In a medium-size bowl, add all the ingredients from sesame seeds to tahini. Whisk and stir until creamy smooth. Taste and make seasoning adjustments to your own liking. For thinner texture, add ½ tbsp water a time until desired consistency.

Rinse the cucumbers under cold tap water for 3-4 times and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Combine the cucumbers with the dressing right before serving. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if using. Serve cold.