Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables
The foundation of this salad is uniformly sliced vegetables, which ensures they marinate evenly and provide a consistent texture in every bite.

• Wash and dry your cucumbers thoroughly. Since we are using thin-skinned English or Persian cucumbers, there is no need to peel them. The dark green peel adds beautiful color and a pleasant texture. If you are using standard garden cucumbers with thicker, waxy skins, you may want to peel them fully or create stripes by peeling alternating strips.

• Using a very sharp chef’s knife or, for best results, a mandoline slicer, slice the cucumbers into thin, uniform rounds about 1/8-inch thick. A mandoline is the secret weapon for achieving paper-thin, consistent slices that absorb the marinade beautifully.

• Peel the red onion and slice it in half from root to tip. Lay the flat, cut side down on your cutting board and slice it into equally thin half-moons.

Step 2: “Sweat” the Cucumbers and Onions
This is the most crucial step for ensuring a crunchy, not watery, final product. We are drawing out the excess water from the vegetables before they go into the marinade.

• Place the sliced cucumbers and red onions into a large colander.

• Sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of the Kosher salt.

• Using your hands, gently toss the vegetables to ensure the salt is evenly distributed.

• Place the colander in the sink or over a large bowl to catch the liquid.

• Let the vegetables sit and “sweat” for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour. During this time, the salt will pull a significant amount of water out of the cucumbers. You will see the liquid dripping into the sink or pooling in the bowl below.

• After 30-60 minutes, gently press down on the vegetables in the colander to release any remaining liquid. Do NOT rinse the vegetables; the residual salt is needed for flavor. You can give them a gentle pat with a paper towel if they seem excessively wet, but it’s not strictly necessary.

Step 3: Prepare the Marinade
While the vegetables are sweating, you can prepare the simple yet potent marinade.

• In a large, non-reactive bowl (glass or stainless steel is perfect), combine the apple cider vinegar, water, granulated sugar, the remaining ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt, and the freshly ground black pepper.

• Whisk the mixture vigorously for a minute or two, until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved into the liquid. You shouldn’t feel any grit or granules at the bottom of the bowl. This clear, balanced brine is what will pickle and preserve the vegetables.

Step 4: Combine and Marinate
This is where the flavors begin to meld and the magic happens.

• Add the drained, “sweated” cucumber and red onion slices to the bowl with the marinade.

• Add the finely chopped fresh dill.

• Gently stir everything together with a large spoon, ensuring all the vegetable slices are submerged and coated in the marinade.

• Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid.

• Place the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. However, for the best, most developed flavor, allow it to marinate for 2 to 4 hours. This gives the marinade enough time to fully penetrate the vegetables, infusing them with that signature tangy and sweet flavor.

Step 5: Serve Chilled

• Before serving, give the salad another gentle stir to redistribute the marinade and dill.

• Serve the salad cold, straight from the refrigerator, using a slotted spoon to leave excess liquid behind in the bowl.