This easy Chinese smashed cucumber salad (拍黄瓜) is a dim sum classic that takes less than 10 minutes to make and is great as a refreshing side for the everyday meal. It's savory, tangy, and with the addition of our homemade Chinese chili oil, it's so aromatic! Pair this cucumber salad with other dim sum favorites like siu mai and salt and pepper tofu for an at-home dim sum meal.
Prep Time7 minutesmins
Total Time7 minutesmins
Yield: 4servings
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Ingredients
1poundPersian cucumberswashed
½teaspoonKosher salt(if using fine salt, use a little less)
2tablespoonscilantrochopped (about 3 to 4 sprigs; optional but highly recommended)
Instructions
Cut the ends off of each cucumber and smash them, one at a time, with the flat side of your knife. Smash them until the cucumbers crack. They don't have to be totally broken apart. *Do use a knife with a thick blade, like a cleaver or chef's knife.*
Cut the smashed cucumbers diagonally, into bite size pieces. Then, place them in a bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the cucumbers and give them a couple mixes. Let the cucumbers salt for about 5 minutes, then drain the cucumber juice. You don't have to rinse the cucumbers.
Add the remaining ingredients to the cucumbers (garlic, black vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, chili oil, and cilantro). Give everything a good mix and serve immediately.
Notes
Please refer to the post above for step by step photos, tips, and FAQs!
Smashing the cucumbers - The purpose of smashing is to break the cucumbers so that the inside is exposed to draw out excess water content and so the irregular pockets and pick up the seasonings.
Cucumbers - We highly recommend Persian cucumbers because they're naturally super crispy, have tender skin and seeds. But if you can't find Persian cucumbers, you can use english cucumbers or any other cucumbers with tender seeds. Read more in the post above!
Homemade chili oil - You can use store bought chili oil, like Lao Gan Ma, but if you have time, we highly recommend making your own homemade Chinese chili oil. It adds so much flavor and aromatics to this cucumber salad and just brings it to another level.
Cilantro - Although it's optional, we highly recommend it! If you don't care for cilantro, you can omit or sub it for green onions.