Turning the humble, cooling cucumber into a dish that's fresh and flavorful.
Chinese Spicy Cucumber Salad
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Side Dishes
Cuisine
Chinese
Author:
Chef Linda Huang
Servings
4
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
The more roughly you chop the cucumber for this dish, the better. It lets the flavor of the dressing really get in there.
Ingredients
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1 large cucumber
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1 tbsp vegetable oil
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1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
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1⁄2 tsp crushed Sichuan peppercorns
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3 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar (aged Chinese black vinegar)
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1 tsp Salt
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1 tsp soy sauce
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1 tbsp sugar
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2 tsp toasted sesame oil
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1 tsp crushed red pepper
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Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Tools
Directions
Roughly chop the cucumber and add to a large bowl.
Whisk together soy sauce, salt, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar in a second, smaller bowl until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the cucumber.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, Sichuan peppercorns and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Cool for a minute.
Sprinkle the crushed red pepper over the cucumber. Pour the garlic oil mixture over the cucumber. Serve cold, and garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
Recipe Note
Note: Chinkiang Vinegar is a type of black rice vinegar originating from the city of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China. It is made by adding acetic acid and bacteria to glutinous rice. Its distinct flavor cannot be replicated by regular vinegar, but if all you can find is plain (unsweetened) rice vinegar, it's a suitable second choice.