Smashed Cucumber Salad

Name: Smashed Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Ingredients: 1 long hothouse cucumber, or 3 small Persian cucumbers (12 ounces/340 grams total); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 2 teaspoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Chinkiang black vinegar or pale rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1/2 tablespoon red chili oil with sediment

7 steps

Prep:20min

Perfumed with sesame oil and garlic, this crunchy and refreshing cucumber salad is one of the most ubiquitous Chinese starter dishes, and everyone makes it differently, so feel free to adjust until it’s exactly the way you like it—a pinch, more sugar for extra sweetness; black vinegar for a mellower, fragrant aroma; pale rice vinegar for sharper, fruity acidity; extra chilli oil for roasted, smoky notes; one or two thinly sliced bird’s-eye chiles for heat. At some restaurants, they’ll scatter a handful of crisp, fried peanuts on top right before serving. Avoid thick-skinned, seedy cucumbers—the best choice is slender hothouse cucumbers, Persian, cucumbers, or Japanese kyuri cucumbers, which have a delicate, thin skin, smaller seeds, and crunchier flesh. And be sure to whack the cucumber with the blade of a Chinese cleaver or a large rolling pin until it splits: the craggy edges look more appealing, and the rough surfaces of the cool, juicy flesh better absorb the sweet-sharp flavours of the dressing.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 00:00:49 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Unbalanced

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories46.3 kcal (2%)

Total Fat2.9 g (4%)

Carbs4.8 g (2%)

Sugars2.2 g (2%)

Protein0.9 g (2%)

Sodium452.6 mg (23%)

Fiber0.5 g (2%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

1hothouse cucumber

long, or 3 small Persian cucumbers

½ teaspoonkosher salt

3garlic cloves

minced

½ teaspoonsugar

2 teaspoonssoy sauce

1 tablespoonblack vinegar

or pale rice vinegar

1 teaspoontoasted sesame oil

½ tablespoonred chili oil

with sediment

Instructions

Step 1

Trim off both edges of the cucumber.

Knife

hothouse cucumber1

Step 2

Lay it on a cutting board and smack it a few times With the flat side of a Chinese cleaver, knife blade, or heavy rolling pin until it splits into large pieces. (To prevent the seeds from flying out over your counter, you can also place the cucumber in a zip-top bag or wrap it in a towel first.)