Name: Grilled Corn Tiger Salad
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds; 3 garlic cloves, finely grated; ½ cup fresh lime juice; 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tsp. oil from a jar of chili crisp (preferably Lao Gan Ma); 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil; 2 tsp. unseasoned rice vinegar; 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; 2 large ears of corn, husked; 1 ripe avocado, cut into large pieces; ½ English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, halves sliced crosswise on a diagonal ¼" thick; 1 small shallot, halved through root end, thinly sliced; ½ bunch cilantro, tough stems removed; 2 Tbsp. crumbled queso fresco or Cotija cheese

Grilled corn salad on dock with beer and two people

Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Shuai Wang, Prop Styling by Megan Forbes and Christina Hussey

Chinese tiger salad—a crisp, refreshing side of raw cucumbers, cilantro, scallions, and chiles—is usually served alongside grilled lamb or spicy foods. In his version, chef Shuai Wang of Short Grain and Jackrabbit Filly in Charleston, South Carolina, incorporates elements of Mexican esquites—grilled corn, creamy avocado, and salty cheese—for a dazzlingly bright summer dish you’ll want to eat all on its own. To more closely resemble the original inspiration, include half a stalk of celery sliced into thin matchsticks or half moons.

What you’ll need

Laoganma Spicy Chili Crisp
$3 At Umamicart
Measuring Spoons
$10 At Bon Appétit Market
Small Skillet
$25 At Amazon
Microplane
$17 At Amazon
16" Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Utility Tongs
$8 At Amazon
Chef’s Knife
$115 At Hedley & Bennett

Recipe notes

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Crispy Rice Salad With Spicy Tahini Dressing

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Cucumber and Avocado Salad Bean Dip

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Corn Furikake Fried Rice

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Upgrade any cookout—or keep the cooking on the stovetop—with these smashed cast-iron bison burgers, then stack with lemon mayo and a crisp cucumber-onion slaw.