Easy Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad 拍黄瓜

Ingredients

• 6 Mini cucumbers (or 2 English cucumbers)
• 2/3 tsp Salt
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tbsp Chili oil
• 1 tsp Chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sesame oil
• Toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prepare the cucumber: ---

2. 2

   I highly recommend using mini cucumber, Persian cucumber, or English cucumber. They are crunchy and with small seeds and the skin is thin. Perfect to make a salad dish like this

3. 3

   If all you have is a regular cucumber, you can still make this dish, just know that the result won't be as good

4. 4

   Wash the cucumbers clean and pat them dry. Trim off both ends of the cucumber. If you use English cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and then cut it into two shorter pieces. If the seeds are large, you can scoop the seeds out. Keep the skin. Use the side of the cleaver or knife to smack on the cucumber about 3-4 times just to crack them open a bit. This can be a bit messy as the juice will splatter out a bit. We don't want to smack too much that we break the cucumbers into pieces

5. 5

   Cut the cucumbers at a diagonal angle for an attractive presentation. Put all the cucumbers in a large bowl. Add all the salt and let them marinate for about 5 minutes. The salt draws out water from the cucumber. Discard the liquid. Cover and keep the cucumber chilled in the fridge while you prepare other things

6. 6

   --- Prepare the seasonings: ---

7. 7

   Put the garlic cloves in a mortar and smash them into a paste. You can also use a garlic press to do this. We want the garlic to be in a paste form as it will cling to the cucumber much better

8. 8

   If not serving immediately, mix the garlic with soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, chili oil, and sesame oil in a separate bowl. This can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days

9. 9

   --- When ready to serve: ---

10. 10

    Only pour the seasonings over the cucumber and toss when you are ready to serve the salad. If you pour the seasonings too early and let them sit for too long, the salad will be more "watery". Sprinkle with some sesame seeds and toss again. Serve

11. 11

    Try to finish on the same day as leftover will make the salad watery, especially after seasonings have been added to the cucumbers