One of the old culinary tricks is rubbing cucumbers with salt, which is still popular today among both experienced chefs and amateur cooks.
The technique is very popular in certain circles, but many people don't know it at all. There are several reasons why cucumbers are rubbed with salt before slicing.
Excess moisture
Cucumbers contain a lot of water. Rubbing with salt removes excess moisture and makes the vegetable crispier and less watery.
Preservative
Salt is a natural preservative that slows down decomposition processes, including bacterial activity and oxidation. Such cucumbers stay fresh and appetizing longer.
Removes bitterness from cucumbers
Excess cucurbitacin results in a predominantly bitter taste. This is typical of many fruits of the pumpkin family.
Before eating, cucumbers are rubbed with salt until foam appears. This indicates that the cucurbitacin is breaking down.
