Smashed Cucumber Salad, Chinese Style
Refreshing, surprising, and oh so good; it’s a perfect side dish with steaks, burgers, pork and poultry.Ingredients
Chili Oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced or microplaned
- 2 T ginger, minced
- 3 t regular red pepper flakes
- 5 T gochugaru Korean pepper flakes
- 2 t Kosher Salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
For the salad
- 2 lbs Persian cucumbers
- 3 t Kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 4 T seasoned rice vinegar
- 4 T soy sauce
- 4 T prepared Chili Oil (above)
- 3 t light brown sugar
- 4 t toasted sesame oil
- Black Sesame Seeds
Directions
- Make your Chili Oil a couple of days ahead.
- Into a metal bowl, put all ingredients except the oil.
- Heat the oil to 300°, no higher.
- Pour the oil over the spices, stir gently, and let sit for at least an hour.
- Before you start your cucumbers, take the garlic and mix with rice vinegar, and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, trim your cukes, slice them lengthwise, and then smack them with the flat of your knife.
- Cut them into diagonal ½” slices and put them into a bowl.
- Toss the cukes with the salt and let sit for 30 minutes to release moisture. Drain the cukes and return them to the bowl.
- To the garlic/vinegar mixture, whisk in the soy, your chili oil with all the spices, sugar, and sesame oil.
- When you are ready to serve, toss everything together and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
