Sichuan Cucumber Salad
Smashed cucumber pieces tossed with garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chilli oil.
Photograph credit: Sichuan cucumber salad by WordRidden · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr
Before You Start
Smash, do not slice.
Salt the cucumber and drain it.
Dress the salad at the last moment.
Taste the dressing before pouring it on.
How to Make Sichuan Cucumber Salad
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Smash the cucumbers with the flat of a knife until they split and cut into bite-size pieces. Toss with the salt and leave for 10 minutes.
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Drain off the liquid.
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Mix the garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and chilli oil.
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Toss the cucumber with the dressing and serve at once.
Why the Method Works
Smash the cucumber. That is the short, sharp rule behind this salad, and it works better than slicing for a good reason: the rough, split edges of smashed cucumber grip the dressing, while smooth slices let it slide off.
Lay each cucumber on the board and whack it with the flat of a knife or a rolling pin until it splits. Then break it into bite-size pieces by hand. Sprinkle with salt and leave for 10 minutes. Drain off the liquid. It is bitter and dilutes the dressing.
The dressing is made of garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, a little sugar, sesame oil and chilli oil, all stirred together. Taste it on its own first. It should be sharp, savoury and slightly sweet.
Toss the cucumber with the dressing just before serving. It softens within an hour, so eat it fresh and crisp. Toasted sesame seeds on top add a nutty crunch if you have them.
After You've Cooked It
Best eaten within an hour. Keeps in the fridge for 1 day, but softens.
If You're Missing Something
- Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the chilli. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.
Serving Sichuan Cucumber Salad
- Steamed rice
- Noodles
- Dumplings
- Grilled meat
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked.
First published ; last changed .
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