Smashed Cucumber Salad
Smashed cucumber salad is a crunchy, refreshing, spicy, and addictive way to serve cucumbers. You can serve it as a side or as a main for a nice light meal. It is incredibly quick and easy to make, and satisfying to eat!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
2 English cucumber
2-3 cloves garlic
4 scallions
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp rice vinegar or black vinegar
1 tbsp chili oil*
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
Directions:
Wash the cucumbers then lay them down on a cutting board and cut them in half lengthwise.
Place the cucumbers cut side down and then wack them along the whole length with a rolling pin, or the flat side of a knife until the cucumber splits. This will leave many jagged little edges that help the dressing cling to it.
Then cut the cucumbers into inch-long pieces on the bias and put them in a colander set on top of a plate.
Sprinkle the cut pieces of cucumber with 1 tsp of kosher salt and 1 tsp of sugar.
Mix to make sure the salt and sugar are well distributed among the cucumber pieces.
Set the colander with the cucumber in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. This process allows the cucumber to release some of its water which will result in a salad with a less watery dressing and crunchier pieces of cucumber.
While the cucumber is in the fridge, make the sauce.
In a bowl combine 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of rice vinegar, 1 tbsp chili oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sugar, and the finely minced garlic.
Mix this together until it is well combined, and set aside.
Wash and slice 4 scallions (both the white and green parts), and set them aside as well.
once 30 minutes to an hour have elapsed, remove the cucumbers from the fridge and lift up the colander, the plate underneath should have collected the water released from the cucumbers.
Pour the cucumbers out of the colander into a bowl, pour the dressing over the cucumbers, and toss.
Once the salad has been tossed, sprinkle the sliced scallions and the sesame seeds on top of the salad.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve it, the salad will last in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Enjoy!
Additional Notes:
*If you do not like spice or do not have chili oil, simply substitute 1 tbsp of chili oil in the recipe for 1 tbsp of sesame oil.
*You can add more chili oil if you want more kick.
*If you want to make the salad gluten-free, use tamari in place of soy sauce.
