Best 4 Chineasy Cucumber Salad Recipes
**Cucumber Salad: A Refreshing and Versatile Dish with Unique Recipes**
Cucumber salad is a refreshing and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a side dish, appetizer, or light meal. It is a popular dish in many cultures around the world, and there are many different variations on the basic recipe. This article will introduce three unique recipes for cucumber salad: a classic Chinese cucumber salad, a spicy Szechuan cucumber salad, and a refreshing Japanese sunomono salad. The classic Chinese cucumber salad is made with thinly sliced cucumbers, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. The Szechuan cucumber salad adds a spicy kick with the addition of chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns. The Japanese sunomono salad is a light and refreshing salad made with cucumbers, wakame seaweed, and a sweet and tangy dressing. All three of these salads are easy to make and are sure to please your taste buds.
CHINEASY CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE
Chineasy Cucumber Salad Recipe
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Whisk together the vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set the dressing aside.
- Halve the cucumbers lengthwise. (If using English cucumbers, remove the seeds with a small spoon and discard.) Set them cut-side down on a cutting board and lightly smash them: Give them a couple angry thwaps with the side of a cleaver (or a large chef's knife) until the cucumbers crack in a few places. (For less drama, just press down on them with the side of the knife.) Cut the abused cucumbers crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick half-moons.
- Toss the cucumbers in the dressing, portion them out onto plates, and top each serving with sesame seeds, peanuts, and cilantro.
CHINESE CUCUMBER SALAD
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories appetizer
Yield 4 servings as a side dish
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, oils and pepper flakes. Mix in the cucumbers and red bell pepper. Chill before serving.
SMASHED CHINESE CUCUMBER SALAD
Smashing cucumbers is a delicious and rustically beautiful preparation that is common across Asia. Smashing them creates a variety of different textures, and draining them concentrates the flavor. This is a simple-to-prepare dish but it packs personality!
Provided by Molly Yeh
Time 15m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place the cucumbers in a resealable plastic bag. Seal and use the palm of your hand to lightly smash the cucumbers. Take the cucumbers out of the bag and cut into 1-inch chunks. Add to a bowl and season with salt. Toss to coat.
- Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chile flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the cucumbers, then toss and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and cilantro.
CHINESE SMASHED CUCUMBERS WITH SESAME OIL AND GARLIC
In China, cucumbers are considered the ideal foil for hot weather and hot food. Versions of this salad, pai huang gua, are served all over the country, sometimes spiked with dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns for more dimensions of flavor. In Beijing, people buy whole chilled cucumbers from street vendors and munch them on the go, much as Americans become attached to their cups of iced coffee in summer. The smashing process, a classic Chinese technique, cracks the skin, helps release the seeds and splits the flesh into appealing craggy pieces. Salting and chilling the cracked cucumbers give them the perfect cool, crunchy, watery mouth feel.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories salads and dressings, side dish
Time 40m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Rinse cucumbers and pat dry. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 inches long. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
- On a work surface, place a piece of cucumber (or several) cut side down. Lay the blade of a large knife flat on top the cucumber and smash down lightly with your other hand. The skin will begin to crack, the flesh will break down and the seeds will separate. Repeat until the whole piece is smashed. Break or slice diagonally into bite-size pieces, leaving the seeds behind.
- Place the cucumber pieces in a strainer and toss with a big pinch of salt and a big pinch of sugar. Place a plastic bag filled with ice on top of the cucumbers to serve as a weight and place the strainer over a bowl. Let drain 15 to 30 minutes on the counter, or in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine salt, sugar and rice vinegar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in sesame oil and soy sauce.
- When ready to serve, shake cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with grapeseed or olive oil and toss. Add half the dressing, half the garlic and the red pepper flakes to taste, and toss. Keep adding dressing until cucumbers are well coated but not drowned. Taste and add more pepper flakes and garlic if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds.
Tips
- Choose the freshest cucumbers you can find. Look for cucumbers that are firm and have a deep green color.
- Slice the cucumbers thinly. This will help them absorb the dressing better.
- Use a variety of seasonings. This will give the salad a more complex flavor. Some good options include garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and vinegar.
- Let the salad marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serve the salad chilled. This will make it even more refreshing.
Conclusion
Chinese cucumber salad is a refreshing and healthy dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is easy to make and can be customized to your own taste. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy side dish, give this Chinese cucumber salad a try.
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