Smashed cucumber salad is a delightful dish from northern China. It features a vibrant, straightforward taste that pairs well with the spicy Sichuan flavors of Chinese cuisine.

When I first discovered this salad, I was curious about its taste, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the smashed cucumbers are quite delicious. You might be wondering why anyone would want to smash a cucumber. The reason is that smashing them helps soak up the salad dressings. The result is a cool, zesty side dish that pairs perfectly with spicy foods.

Ingredients

Cucumbers, Brown Sugar, Rice Vinegar, Garlic cloves, Dark Soy Sauce, Gochugaru, Sesame seed oil, Black and White Sesame seeds.

Choose firm and crunchy fresh cucumbers. Brown sugar adds a light sweetness to the cucumber salad and balances out the Dark Soy sauce. Sesame seed oil adds a nutty flavour. Black and White Sesame seeds are used as garnish. Gochugaru is used as a garnish, giving the salad a slight touch of heat. You can use hot pepper flakes in place of, or a light sprinkle of, cayenne pepper.

Instructions

Rinse the cucumbers in running water and cut off both tips. Gather the ingredients, such as brown sugar, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, black sesame seeds, and sesame seed oil. Cut the cucumbers into one-inch random shapes and then place a piece on the chopping board. Use the side of the knife to hold down the cucumber. Firmly hold the knife sideways against the cucumber, and gently and accurately hit down on the knife to smash the cucumber.

Be careful when performing this action. If you are unfamiliar with this technique, place the cucumber with the skin facing upward, then use the base of your palm to press down on the cucumber to smash it. Transfer the smashed cucumbers to a bowl. In a bowl, add the brown sugar, finely diced garlic, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, black sesame seeds, and sesame seed oil, then toss to mix. Garnish with a little bit more sesame seeds and serve.

What to Serve with Smashed Cucumber Salad?

Smashed cucumber salad is a refreshing and light side dish. It pairs well with the main dish, complementing its nutty and tangy flavours. The best combination would be grilled or roasted meats, such as grilled chicken, grilled prawns, lamb koftas, or grilled steak. The salad also matches well with meals incorporating rice or grains.

How to Store Smashed Cucumber Salad?

Storing smashed cucumber salad is super easy. Simply transfer the leftover salad into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. Just make sure that the leftover salad is not contaminated by the used utensil while transferring it into the container. The liquid will be released from the smashed cucumbers while being stored, and it is best to consume the salad within 24 hours.

Smashed Cucumber Salad

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salads

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 12kcal

Author: thetastejournal.com

Ingredients

▢ 3 Medium Cucumbers – cut into 1 inch pieces
▢ 1 tsp Brown sugar
▢ 1 Tbsp Rice vinegar
▢ 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
▢ ½ tsp Sesame seed oil
▢ 1 Garlic clove – Finely diced.

Garnishes

▢ ½ tsp Black sesame seeds
▢ 1/4 tsp Gochugaru – Garnish
▢ 1 Stalk of Spring onion – Sliced

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients: Rinse the cucumbers with water, and then cut off both tips of the cucumbers.
Smash the cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers into bite size pieces. Place a piece of cucumber on the chopping board and smash them one piece at a time. Smash the cucumbers using a knife or smash them with the base of your palm to gently push it against the board without using a knife.
Mix the ingredients: Add the brown sugar, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, black sesame seeds and sesame seed oil in the bowl, then toss to mix. Garnish with a little bit more sesame seeds and serve.