Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)
Are you looking for a refreshing appetizer? You won’t want to miss this Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜). Ready in just 10 minutes, it’s a perfect light side dish for everyday meals. With its delicious, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor, it’s a great addition to any family meal.
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Today's Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) is very simple to make. Just smash the cucumbers, then add soy sauce, light soy sauce, vinegar, and homemade chili oil. To perfect this dish, it’s important to know all the little tips to fully bring out its flavor.
1. About Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)
Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) is a popular cold dish in Chinese households, known for its refreshing taste and suitability for summer.
In Chinese dietary practices, cucumbers are considered cooling foods that help clear heat, relieve summer heat, and detoxify the body. Additionally, this dish aids digestion.
Not only is Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) appetizing, but it is also rich in dietary fiber, which promotes toxin elimination and helps lower cholesterol. The malic acid in cucumbers also supports weight loss by inhibiting the conversion of sugar into fat.
Overall, Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) is a delicious and highly regarded dish in China, enjoyed by many.
2.Best Cucumbers for Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)
In China, the cucumbers used for Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) are a specific variety with a darker color, thin skin, and small spines, which makes them crisper than other types. This is the variety I’m using for this recipe.
If you can’t find this variety, you can also use English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, Kirby cucumbers, or American cucumbers to make this dish.
3. How to Smash Cucumbers
There are several methods to smash cucumbers. Here are the most common ones:
Plastic Bag Method: Place the cucumber in a plastic bag and smash it with a knife. This helps to avoid splashing and adds flavor.
Cutting Board Method: Clean and dry the cucumber, then use the back of a knife to gently smash it. This method is simple and effective. (This is the method I used.)
Side Method: Smash the cucumber on a cutting board using the side of the knife. This method keeps the cucumber more intact, allowing the seasoning to penetrate better.
4.What to Pair with Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)
Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) is a great appetizer that pairs well with various main dishes. You can enjoy it with rice or noodles, main courses, or simply as a refreshing side. I often pair it with the following dishes:
- Yangzhou Fried Rice (Simple Version)
5.How to Store Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)
Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) is a simple cold dish that’s best enjoyed fresh. However, if you want to prepare it in advance, store the salad in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about 1-2 days. Chilling it for a while can actually make the salad even crisper.
6.More Simple and Delicious Chinese Recipes
- Chinese Crepes Recipe (Tianjin-style Jianbing)
Let's make this tangy and crispy appetizer together!
INGREDIENTS
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 2 cucumbers
ACCESSORIES
- 1 piece of ginger
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 scallion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 sprig cilantro
- 3 small chili peppers
SEASONINGS
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon steamed fish soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- Olive oil to taste
- Sichuan peppercorns to taste
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Prepare all the ingredients: 2 cucumbers, 3 small chili peppers, 1 clove each of ginger and garlic, 1 sprig each of cilantro and scallion, and all the seasonings.
STEP 2
Wash the cucumbers under running water and trim the ends.
STEP 3
Use the back of a knife to smash and slightly break the cucumbers, then cut them into small pieces.
STEP 4
Add a pinch of salt and let the cucumbers sit for 5 minutes.
Tip:
Salting the cucumbers helps draw out moisture, making them crisper and allowing the flavors to penetrate better.
STEP 5
While the cucumbers are being salted, prepare the other ingredients: wash and finely chop the ginger, garlic, cilantro, and scallion. Also, wash the Sichuan peppercorns and set them aside.
STEP 6
Heat a pan with a suitable amount of olive oil. Add the Sichuan peppercorns to cold oil, and cook until fragrant. Then add the chopped ginger, garlic, and small chili peppers, and sauté until aromatic. Set aside.
Tip:
All the seasonings can be purchased at the store.
STEP 7
Drain the excess moisture from the salted cucumbers and add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
STEP 8
Add 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar.
STEP 9
Add 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar.
STEP 10
Add 1 teaspoon of steamed fish soy sauce.
STEP 11
Pour the hot ginger, garlic, cilantro, and chili pepper mixture over the cucumbers, and add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds.
STEP 12
Mix everything thoroughly.
STEP 13
Your delicious Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) is ready to enjoy!
Recipe analyzer
- Recipes: Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)
- Main Ingredients:13
- Servings per recipe:1
- Servings size:688 g
-
Energy (calories)：287 kcal
-
Protein：9.21 g
-
Fat：10.58 g
Why gray?
-
Carbohydrates：41.9 g
-
Protein: 11%31 kcal
-
Fat: 33%93 kcal
-
Carbohydrates: 57%161 kcal
The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.
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