Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad (Pai Huang Gua)
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A refreshing, crunchy, and tangy side dish that uses the traditional Chinese technique of smashing cucumbers to create cracks that perfectly absorb a savory soy-garlic dressing.
- Time
- 25 minutes
- Equipment
- Stovetop
- Good for
- Lunch or dinner
- Cuisine
- East Asian
- Contains
- Sesame
- Diet
- Vegetarian
Diet and allergen details are read from the ingredient names and are not certified.
Ingredients
Steps
Place the cucumbers on a cutting board. Use the flat side of a large knife or a rolling pin to gently but firmly smash the cucumbers until they burst open and develop cracks along their length.
Cut the smashed cucumbers into bite-sized chunks, roughly 1-inch pieces.
Place the cucumber pieces in a colander and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat and let them sit for about 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. This ensures the salad stays crunchy and the dressing doesn't get watered down.
While the cucumbers drain, prepare the dressing by whisking together the minced garlic, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and honey in a large mixing bowl.
Pat the cucumbers dry with a paper towel to remove excess water and salt, then add them to the bowl with the dressing.
Add the chili oil (if using) and chopped cilantro to the bowl.
Toss everything together until the cucumbers are well-coated in the dressing.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately, or chill for 10-15 minutes before serving for a more refreshing taste.
Notes
For a kid-friendly version, omit the chili oil. Smashing the cucumbers is essential as it creates uneven surfaces that hold onto the dressing much better than smooth slices. If you don't have coconut aminos, tamari or regular soy sauce works perfectly.
Nutrition
These are estimates per serving, worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories
- 88
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Where the calories come from
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