Smashed cucumber (pai huang gua) is a contrast plate. You want it cold, wet with dressing, and a little bruised so the salt and vinegar get into the flesh. A polite sliced cucumber salad is a different, lesser thing.
Ingredients
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang or black vinegar
- 1 tsp light soy
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp chili oil, or to taste
- A few drops of sesame oil
- Pinch of ground Sichuan pepper (optional)
Method
Trim the cucumbers and smash them with the side of a cleaver or a small pan until they split. Tear into bite-size lengths. Toss with the salt and leave in a colander for ten minutes. Shake off the water. Dress with garlic, vinegar, soy, sugar, chili oil, sesame oil and pepper. Eat soon. The garlic gets louder as it sits.
Notes
If the cucumbers are watery and old, this will not work. If you cannot eat chili, skip the oil and keep the vinegar. This plate belongs next to mapo-style tofu or a heavy fried dish, not next to another cold vinegar plate.