Spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad
Total Time: 35 minutes
Inactive Time: 30 minutes
Spicy smashed cucumber salad. Just Persian cucumbers and some staple pantry items — for my pantry at least!
Servings/Suggestions
If you want, microplane some fresh ginger into the dressing.
Ingredients
6 Persian cucumbers
kosher salt
1.5 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chili crisp
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
black and white sesame seeds to garnish
Mise en place
(Set yourself up for success before you start cooking)
Rinse and dry the cucumbers
You will also need a mesh strainer and a medium sized bowl for mixing
Directions
Step 1
Slice the ends off of the first cucumber – this will be a very thin slice. Then slice the cucumber in half lengthwise. Then cut the halves in half lengthwise. Now we have quarters of cucumber.
Step 2
Place the cucumber quarters skin side up on your cutting board. Using the flat side of your knife, lightly smash the first quarter. You generally only need to move your knife 3 or 4 times. Tap, tap, move. Tap, tap move.
You really only need as much pressure as you would use when tapping a garlic clove with the side of your knife in order to release it from the skin to peel.
Repeat until all quarters have been smashed.
Step 3
Now, gently scrap out the seed portion — it basically got released when you were doing the smashing. Cut the quarters into 3 equal pieces. Repeat with the second cucumber.
Step 4
Place the mesh strainer over the bowl. Place the cucumber pieces in the strainer. Sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt. Wipe off your cutting board.
Now cut and smash the next two cucumbers and add some salt when you add them to the strainer. Ditto for the last two cucumbers (don’t forget the salt). Now let the cucumbers sit for around 30 minutes. I like to give the strainer a shake every 10 minutes or so to release some of the cucumber water. The salt is pulling out moisture from the cucumbers so they can better absorb the dressing.
Step 5
Remove the strainer from the bowl. Pour out the liquid and wipe the bowl dry with a paper towel. Into the bowl, add the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and the chili crisp. Stir well with a fork.
Step 6
Add the cucumber slices. I like to use a spoon to toss them in the dressing. Then transfer everything to one serving bowl and top with the sesame seeds.
