Steps

1. In a pot, bring 1L of water and 2 tsp of salt to a boil. This is the key! Boiling in 1% saltwater subtly seasons the pasta.
   🕒 01:36
2. Cut off the ends of the onion and peel it using a knife. Make sure to remove any brown parts cleanly.
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3. Cut the peeled onion in half lengthwise. Wrap the unused portion with plastic wrap. Keep the root end of the other half intact.
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4. Cut the cucumber in half crosswise, then cut off the stem end and halve each piece lengthwise. This is the key! Cutting lengthwise makes the slices diagonal, making them easier to eat with chopsticks.
   🕒 03:51
5. Add 100g of pasta (broken in half) to the boiling water. Cook for 4 minutes longer than the package instructions (total 12 minutes). Stir gently after adding to prevent sticking. This is the key! Cooking longer prevents the noodles from becoming hard when chilled and reduces moisture absorption, preventing dryness.
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6. Prepare a bowl and thinly slice 1/2 onion using a mandoline slicer.
   🕒 05:52
7. Thinly slice the cut 1 whole cucumber using the same mandoline slicer.
   🕒 06:38
8. Add 1 pinch of salt and 2 pinches of sugar to the bowl with the sliced cucumber and onion. Massage thoroughly to salt-cure the vegetables. This is the key! Using sugar allows you to draw out moisture without making it taste salty, preventing blandness and spoilage over time, and extending its shelf life.
   🕒 07:22
9. Let the salt-cured vegetables sit in the bowl for about 5 to 10 minutes.
   🕒 08:33
10. In a separate large bowl, combine 3 tbsp of mayonnaise, 1 tbsp of vinegar, 2 tsp of granulated consommé (finely chop cube consommé if using), 15g of grated cheese, and a generous amount of black pepper. Mix thoroughly until uniformly combined. Do not add the soy milk at this stage.
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11. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Use the colander and a bowl to squeeze out as much water as possible. This is the key! Chilling the pasta and thoroughly draining it prevents mayonnaise separation, reduces moisture absorption, and prevents dryness.
    🕒 09:38
12. Add the drained pasta to the bowl with the dressing. Before adding the vegetables, mix the pasta and dressing thoroughly until they are well combined. This is the key! Coating the pasta with oil first prevents it from absorbing moisture, thus preventing dryness and allowing the flavors to meld better.
    🕒 11:11
13. Add 1/2 pack of imitation crab sticks, flaked, to the mixed pasta. This is the key! Larger flakes of imitation crab sticks add texture and color.
    🕒 11:39
14. Squeeze out the excess water from the salt-cured vegetables (which have been resting for 5-10 minutes) with both hands. Flake them and add to the bowl with the pasta and imitation crab sticks. This is the key! Thoroughly draining the vegetables prevents the flavor from becoming diluted later and maintains their crisp texture.
    🕒 12:01
15. Mix the pasta, imitation crab sticks, and vegetables thoroughly until the dressing is evenly distributed and everything is well combined.
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16. Add 5 tbsp (70-80ml) of unsweetened soy milk and mix well to thin out the dressing. This is the key! Don't worry if it seems a bit watery right after mixing; the flavor will meld perfectly over time.
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17. Taste the salad. It's good to eat as is, but letting it rest for 5-10 minutes will make the macaroni salad even more delicious.
    🕒 14:05
18. Serve the macaroni salad mounded on a plate. Add mini tomatoes as a garnish if desired, and it's ready!
    🕒 15:45