Best Crunchy Chinese Cucumber Salad Recipes

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SMASHED CHINESE CUCUMBER SALAD



Smashed Chinese Cucumber Salad image

Smashing cucumbers is a delicious and rustically beautiful preparation that is common across Asia. Smashing them creates a variety of different textures, and draining them concentrates the flavor. This is a simple-to-prepare dish but it packs personality!

Provided by Molly Yeh

Time 15m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 pound Persian or mini cucumbers
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
Toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro, for garnish

Steps:

  • Place the cucumbers in a resealable plastic bag. Seal and use the palm of your hand to lightly smash the cucumbers. Take the cucumbers out of the bag and cut into 1-inch chunks. Add to a bowl and season with salt. Toss to coat.
  • Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chile flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk to dissolve the sugar.
  • Add the cucumbers, then toss and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and cilantro.

CHINESE SMASHED CUCUMBERS WITH SESAME OIL AND GARLIC



Chinese Smashed Cucumbers With Sesame Oil and Garlic image

In China, cucumbers are considered the ideal foil for hot weather and hot food. Versions of this salad, pai huang gua, are served all over the country, sometimes spiked with dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns for more dimensions of flavor. In Beijing, people buy whole chilled cucumbers from street vendors and munch them on the go, much as Americans become attached to their cups of iced coffee in summer. The smashing process, a classic Chinese technique, cracks the skin, helps release the seeds and splits the flesh into appealing craggy pieces. Salting and chilling the cracked cucumbers give them the perfect cool, crunchy, watery mouth feel.

Provided by Julia Moskin

Categories     salads and dressings, side dish

Time 40m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

About 2 pounds thin-skinned cucumbers like English or Persian (8 to 10 mini cucumbers, 4 medium-size or 2 large greenhouse)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for cucumbers
2 teaspoons granulated sugar, plus more for cucumbers
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grapeseed or extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Small handful whole cilantro leaves, for garnish
2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  • Rinse cucumbers and pat dry. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 inches long. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
  • On a work surface, place a piece of cucumber (or several) cut side down. Lay the blade of a large knife flat on top the cucumber and smash down lightly with your other hand. The skin will begin to crack, the flesh will break down and the seeds will separate. Repeat until the whole piece is smashed. Break or slice diagonally into bite-size pieces, leaving the seeds behind.
  • Place the cucumber pieces in a strainer and toss with a big pinch of salt and a big pinch of sugar. Place a plastic bag filled with ice on top of the cucumbers to serve as a weight and place the strainer over a bowl. Let drain 15 to 30 minutes on the counter, or in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.
  • Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine salt, sugar and rice vinegar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in sesame oil and soy sauce.
  • When ready to serve, shake cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with grapeseed or olive oil and toss. Add half the dressing, half the garlic and the red pepper flakes to taste, and toss. Keep adding dressing until cucumbers are well coated but not drowned. Taste and add more pepper flakes and garlic if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds.

CRUNCHY CHINESE CUCUMBER SALAD



Crunchy Chinese Cucumber Salad image

A lovely crunchy salad which takes a bit more time than a simple cucumber salad, but it's really worth it! Goes well as a starter or a side dish with a chinese meal. Cooking time includes leaving the cucumbers in salted water for 20 minutes and standing time (to develop the flavour of the salad) of 2 hours.

Provided by tigerduck

Categories     Vegetable

Time 2h40m

Yield 2-4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 big mild chili pepper, deseeded, sliced into rings (or a small hot chilli finely chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark rice vinegar
1 tablespoon white wine
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 cucumber (ca 350g/12ounces, unpeeled)
150 ml hot water
1/2 tablespoon salt

Steps:

  • Preparation of cucumber:.
  • Half washed but unpeeled cucumber lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a spoon and discard. Slice into ca 1/2 cm / 1/5 inch pieces. Put into a bowl.
  • Mix hot water and salt and pour it over the cucumber pieces. Leave cucumbers in water for ca 20 minutes.
  • Dressing:.
  • Heat oil in a medium skillet.
  • Add chilli and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the remaining ingredients of the dressing until the sesame oil. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add garlic and sesame. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Put aside.
  • Finish Salad:.
  • Drain the cucumber pieces (after the 20 minutes in the water) and squeeze them slightly. Mix with the dressing (I do this in the skillet and put salad afterwards into a bowl) and leave the salad for 2 hours to develop its flavour.
  • Serve as a starter or as a side dish to a chinese meal.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 152.1, Fat 7.6, SaturatedFat 1.1, Sodium 2255.3, Carbohydrate 19.1, Fiber 1.7, Sugar 13.4, Protein 3.1

CHINESE CUCUMBER SALAD



Chinese Cucumber Salad image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     appetizer

Yield 4 servings as a side dish

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Dash of sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced into strips

Steps:

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, oils and pepper flakes. Mix in the cucumbers and red bell pepper. Chill before serving.

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