Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad With a Punchy Garlic Dressing
A refreshing Chinese smashed cucumber salad, often called pai huang gua, tossed with garlic, soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, sesame oil, and optional chili oil. It is crisp, savory, tangy, and ready in 25 minutes including salting time.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Persian or English cucumbers about 680 g
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt about 3 g, plus more to taste if needed
- 3 medium garlic cloves finely grated or minced (about 1 tablespoon / 9 g)
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang black vinegar 30 mL
- 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce 22 mL
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 15 mL
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 4 g
- 1 tablespoon chili oil with sediment optional (15 mL)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 3 g
- 1 scallion thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons / 12 g), optional
Instructions
- Wash and dry the cucumbers. Trim the ends, then place the cucumbers in a sturdy zip-top bag or between two sheets of parchment. Gently strike them a few times with the flat side of a large knife, a rolling pin, or a small skillet until they crack and split without being completely flattened.
- Cut the smashed cucumbers into rough 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces (2.5 to 4 cm). Transfer them to a colander or bowl, sprinkle with the kosher salt, and toss. Let stand for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- While the cucumbers rest, whisk the garlic, Chinkiang vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and optional chili oil in a medium serving bowl until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Drain off any liquid released by the cucumbers; do not rinse them. Add the cucumbers to the dressing and toss thoroughly so the craggy cut surfaces catch the sauce.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and optional scallion. Taste and adjust with a little more black vinegar, soy sauce, or chili oil as desired. Serve right away for the best crunch, or chill briefly before serving.