Best Smashed Cucumber Salad With Hot Vinegar Recipes
XI'AN FAMOUS FOODS CHINESE INSPIRED SMASHED CUCUMBER SALAD
Xi'an's Famous Foods Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad is one of my favorite dishes in the whole world. It's crisp, bright, spicy and full of flavor -- basically the perfect easy side dish of all time! Disclaimer: I have no idea if this is how they make it but I've tried to recreate it for years and this is the closest I've ever gotten!
Provided by grilledcheesesocial
Categories Side Dish
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Trim the ends off of the cucumbers then take the flat side of your knife and place it sideways on top of one cucumber. Using your hand, carefully smash them like you would a clove of garlic. Repeat for all cucumbers.
- Using your hands, tear the smashed cucumbers into pieces and place in a small bowl so there's not a lot of excess room for them to float around.
- Fill the bowl half way with rice wine vinegar so that half of the cucumbers are submerged. Then fill the rest of the bowl with water. Give it a stir and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, drain the liquid from the cucumbers then add the black vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and the crispy chili oil on top. **I recommend starting with 1 tbsp of the chili oil and then adding another after tasting because depending on the brand, sometimes it's super spicy and sometimes it's not.**
- Now stir everything together and let them rest for at 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
SMASHED CUCUMBER SALAD
By crushing our cucumber before we cut it, we produce flavors that un-smashed cukes can't. When you crush the cells in a vegetable, as opposed to cutting cleanly through them, certain compounds get mixed together, which can result in a significantly different flavor. In cucumbers this is a good thing--onions, not so much. But this salad is one of my all-time favorite cold summer side dishes. The only decision you're going to have to make is how long to let the cucumbers marinate--half an hour or so or not at all.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Salad Vegetable Salad Recipes Cucumber Salad Recipes
Time 1h15m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Wrap each cucumber in plastic wrap to minimize splattering. Place on a work surface and pound with a flat object (like a meat pounder) until cucumbers crack and are slightly flattened. Remove from plastic. Cut cucumbers in half; halve each side lengthwise. Slice into 1- to 1 1/2 -inch wide slices. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl.
- Sprinkle cucumber with sugar and salt; mix until well combined. Refrigerate bowl and strainer for 30 to 60 minutes so cucumber pieces can drain into the bowl.
- Place garlic, seasoned rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Whisk together thoroughly.
- Transfer drained cucumbers into bowl with dressing. Toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.
- Place cucumbers in serving bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 28.5 calories, Carbohydrate 3.5 g, Fat 1.4 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 1.3 g, SaturatedFat 0.2 g, Sodium 530.2 mg, Sugar 1.7 g
SMASHED CUCUMBER SALAD
This refreshing, flavorful salad stars Chinese black vinegar with light soy sauce as its milder sidekick. Smashed cucumber salad (pai huang gua in Mandarin) is a staple side dish in many Chinese restaurants, and I've often ordered it along with soup dumplings for a light meal. Chinese black vinegar has a deep and slightly smoky flavor, mild acidity and faint sweetness. The salad usually includes garlic and sesame seeds or sesame oil, and some variations add chiles or Sichuan peppercorn; this version uses gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) for a touch of heat, which isn't traditional but gives the salad a nice red hue and balanced spiciness. Smashing the cucumber helps to create jagged edges so there is more surface area to absorb the dressing, while salting the cucumber softens the skin, firms up the flesh and releases some water, concentrating the cucumber's flavor.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories side-dish
Time 1h15m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Partially peel the cucumbers by removing alternate strips of the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Smash the cucumber with a flat side of a cleaver or large knife or a rolling pin or meat mallet until it is flattened with jagged edges. Split each cucumber half in half again lengthwise. Cut the strips into 1-inch pieces diagonally.
- Toss the cucumber and salt together in a medium bowl. Let sit at room temperature until the cucumber releases some water, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, combine the oil, shallot and garlic in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the shallot is translucent, about 2 minutes. Mix in the gochugaru and allow it to bloom in the oil. Stir the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Strain the cucumbers and dry them with a paper towel. Return them to the medium bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss. Toss again with the garlic-shallot oil. Garnish with the remaining sesame seeds and the cilantro.
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