Crisp cucumber strips with a chewy texture, balanced in sweet, sour, spicy, and aromatic flavors.
Sichuan Smashed Cucumber Salad is a classic cold dish in Chinese cuisine, combining sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors with crisp yet tender cucumber pieces that refresh the palate and stimulate the appetite. The challenge lies in mastering the crisscross cutting technique, so be sure to practice it well.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
2 cucumbers
Choose cucumbers that are evenly shaped and relatively straight, as this makes it easier to cut the decorative crisscross pattern.
Seasonings
White vinegar 120 g (about 1/2 cup)
100 g (about 1/2 cup) sugar
40 g (about 3 tablespoons) water
20 g sesame oil
3 dried red chili peppers
to taste each of scallion and ginger
to taste
Instructions
Instructions
Preparation
Step 1: Cut the cucumber using a crisscross knife pattern (see detailed technique below), then place it on a plate and sprinkle with a layer of salt to marinate for 3 hours until water releases and the cucumber softens (Image 2). Remove seeds from dried chili peppers and cut into thin strips, and finely shred scallions and ginger for later use (Image 3).
*When salting the cucumbers, be generous with the salt; otherwise, it will be difficult to soften them, and the cucumbers won't have a crisp texture.
Stir-fry the seasonings.
Step 2: Pour sesame oil into a wok and heat to medium-low (about 40% hot). Add dried chili shreds and dry-fry over low heat for about 15 seconds until fragrant and spicy (Image 4). Then add ginger shreds and stir-fry for 5 seconds. Add white vinegar, sugar, salt, and water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat (Image 5). Stir in scallion shreds and mix well—the seasoning sauce is now ready. Set aside in a cool place to cool completely (Image 6).
*Dried chili threads must be stir-fried in warm oil over low heat, otherwise they will burn easily; if you are worried about controlling the heat, you can soak the chilies in boiling water beforehand before cutting them into threads, as the moisture will prevent them from burning.
Soak the cucumber in cold water for about 10 minutes to crisp it up, then drain and pat dry.
Drain the water from the salted cucumbers completely, then pour the cooled seasoned sauce over them to soak. Seal and refrigerate overnight before serving.
If preparing in winter, you can soak at room temperature overnight; in summer, place it in the refrigerator and make sure it is tightly sealed to prevent flavors from mingling.