Smashed cucumber salad (拍黄瓜)

Last Updated on August 25, 2021 by Simon Fan

Smashed cucumber salad is a popular home-style dish from Dongbei (东北), the northeastern region of China. The cuisine of Dongbei has been gaining more recognition both inside and outside China in recent years. Their cooking is rustic and hearty—a true expression of the land and the people who live there. The flavors are rich and bold, with generous use of salt, vinegar, and chilies. Wheat is consumed more than rice there, and the locals are masters of making great noodles and dumplings. Their penchant for eating raw garlic and scallions is unmatched anywhere else in the country.

Why smashing cucumbers rather than slicing or dicing them? The answer is simple: to create a great-tasting cucumber salad.

Smashing brings about two unique advantages:

• It causes various degrees of bruising in the flesh of cucumbers, allowing it to soak up the salad dressing.
• It creates irregular shapes and bites, providing a more interesting and varied texture and mouthfeel.

Although I enjoy many types of cucumber salad, I keep coming back to this one because the act of smashing elevates a simple and humble ingredient into something truly special.

To smash the cucumbers properly, you need to choose a knife with a broad flat side, such as a cleaver or a chef’s knife. Smash to flatten the cucumbers to the point that they crack without breaking apart into pieces. Resist the temptation to overdo it.

Although you can use any type of cucumber, my favorite for this recipe is Persian cucumber (also known as mini seedless cucumber), with thin skin and juicy, sweet flesh. To fully appreciate this cooling and refreshing salad, chill the cucumbers in advance.

I’m using raw garlic liberally to give this dish a true taste of Dongbei. Feel free to adjust the amount to your liking.

Smashed cucumber salad (拍黄瓜)

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 Persian cucumbers, about 12 oz (340 g) total, chilled in advance

Dressing
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon Shanxi vinegar or Zhenjiang (aka Chinkiang) vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Remove the ends of the cucumbers. Working with one piece at a time, use the flat side of a cleaver or chef’s knife to smash and flatten the cucumber to the point that it cracks without breaking apart into pieces. Holding your knife at a 45-degree angle to the cutting board, cut each cucumber crosswise into ½-inch-thick (1.3 cm) pieces.
2. In a bowl, stir to combine all the ingredients for the dressing. Add the cucumber pieces and stir until well coated. Adjust the seasoning as needed and serve.