Smashed Cucumber Salad with Chili & Sesame
Cool, crunchy, garlicky, and full of bright savoury flavour, this smashed cucumber salad is the perfect refreshing side for FULI dumplings. Smacking the cucumbers helps them crack open and soak up the dressing, giving every bite a delicious mix of soy, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, chili, and toasted sesame seeds. It is quick, punchy, and fresh.
Serves: 2–3
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: No cook
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 2-3 seedless cucumbers
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 teaspoons chili oil
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 long red chili, chopped (optional)
- 2 spring onions, chopped
Method
- Place a large knife flat against the cucumber and smack with your other hand to bruise and crack open. Repeat along the full length of each cucumber.
- Cut the smacked cucumbers into bite-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, make the dressing by mixing together salt, sugar, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, chili oil, and toasted sesame seeds.
- Transfer the cucumber pieces to a mixing bowl, and add the chopped red chili and spring onions.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and toss to combine.
- Let the salad marinate for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Tips
- For extra heat, increase the amount of chili oil or add the optional chopped red chili.