Smashed Cucumber Salad

Name: Smashed Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 600 g (1⅓ lb) cucumbers, about 2 regular or 5 small Persian cucumbers; 4 g (⅔ tsp) fine sea salt; 1 tsp sugar; 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or crushed; 2 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, or rice vinegar; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp chili oil or chili crisp, Chili Crisp or store-bought; to taste; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds; 5 g (a small handful) cilantro, optional, roughly chopped

Sichuan-style cucumbers in garlic, black vinegar and chili oil

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 10 min
Total: 30 min
Level: Easy

Smashing cucumbers with the side of a knife cracks them into craggy pieces that drink up dressing far better than neat slices. A short salting draws out water, then garlic, black vinegar, soy and chili oil turn them into the cold dish that goes with almost everything.

Ingredients

600 gcucumbers (1⅓ lb)about 2 regular or 5 small Persian cucumbers
4 gfine sea salt (⅔ tsp)
1 tspsugar
3 clovesgarlicfinely grated or crushed
2 tbspChinkiang black vinegaror rice vinegar
1 tbsplight soy sauce
1 tsptoasted sesame oil
1 tbspchili oil or chili crispChili Crisp or store-bought; to taste
1 tsptoasted sesame seeds
5 gcilantro (a small handful)optional, roughly chopped

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free
Allergens: soy, gluten, sesame, sulphites
Origin: China

Method

Lay a cucumber on a board and press down firmly with the flat of a large knife or tap with a rolling pin until it cracks open along its length. Repeat along the cucumber.
Tear or cut it into rough 3 cm pieces, discarding any very watery seed clusters. Repeat with the rest.
Toss with the salt and sugar in a colander and leave 15–20 minutes to drain. 15 min
Meanwhile, stir the garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili oil together in a bowl.
Shake the cucumbers well (don't rinse), add them to the dressing and toss.
Serve straight away, topped with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Why it works

Smashing breaks cucumbers along their natural cell lines, producing rough, uneven surfaces with far more area for dressing to cling to than a clean cut. Salting draws out water so the dressing isn't diluted and the cucumber stays crunchy. Sugar softens the vinegar's sharpness and rounds out the heat.