Chinese
Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad
Chilled smashed cucumbers with craggy edges that catch a savory-tart black-vinegar dressing, fresh garlic, sesame, scallions, and a measured spoonful of chile oil.
4 servings · 20 minutes prep · 2 minutes cook
Ingredients
Cucumbers
- 1 1/2 pounds Persian cucumbers, well chilled
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Black Vinegar Dressing
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang black vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or pounded to a paste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Chinese chile oil, including some sediment, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
Directions
Smash and Drain the Cucumbers
- Trim the Persian cucumbers and place them beneath a clean kitchen towel. Strike firmly with the flat side of a chef’s knife or a small skillet until each cucumber splits lengthwise and exposes rough surfaces; do not pulverize the centers. Tear or cut into irregular 1 1/2-inch pieces.
- Toss the cucumbers with the kosher salt and sugar in a colander set over a bowl. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly and blot dry without rinsing.
Build the Dressing
- Stir the Chinkiang vinegar, light soy sauce, sugar, and garlic until the sugar dissolves.
- Warm the toasted sesame oil and chile oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat for about 30 seconds, only until fragrant and fluid. Do not let the oils smoke. Stir them into the vinegar mixture.
Toss and Finish
- Add the drained cucumbers and toss until the dressing fills the cracked surfaces. Rest for 2 minutes, then taste and add more chile oil only if the cucumber remains clearly audible and the vinegar, salt, and heat are balanced.
- Transfer to a shallow bowl, spoon the collected dressing over the cucumbers, and finish with the sesame seeds and scallion greens. Serve promptly, chilled or cool.
