This Chinese smashed cucumber salad is like the easiest thing ever to do with cucumber. You cut up the cucumber, smash it, dump some seasonings on, and you’re done!
This recipe was initially created by Chinese chefs who used big cleavers that were perfect for smashing action. Since we don’t cut large slabs of meat in my house, we only have smaller chef’s knives, but they work just as well. The whole point of abusing the poor cucumber is to enable better penetration of the seasoning. So, you could even smash them with your fists or crush them in your hands if you like! Evil laughter and kung fu noises are optional.
While this smashed cucumber salad is very simple, its flavours are bomb. You can adjust more or less spice or vinegar depending on your taste. It is a great side dish for a Chinese meal and you can’t really mess it up. The only thing to note, is that you should use Chinese or Japanese cucumbers as they have smaller seeds.
For another awesome and easy cucumber dish, check out Cucumber Sprite Pickle (网红雪碧泡黄瓜).
Ingredients
- Seasoning
Instructions
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This is the type of cucumber to use.
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You can shave the skin off or just shave it partially, like I did, for a nicer colour. Then slice lengthwise and chop into 1 inch pieces.
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Smash the pieces of cucumber with the back of your knife or punch them!
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Mince the garlic cloves, chop the chillies, then mix the seasonings together.
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Pour over the cucumber and mix well.
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Add the peanuts and mix well.
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And it's ready to serve!
