Spicy Smashed Cucumbers
Crisp, tangy, and a little bit messy, the way good food should be. These cucumbers are a refreshing, flavorful addition to an Asian inspired dish such as my Sweet and Spicy Salmon Bowls or my Thai Basil Beef Bowls.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber or 4 small Parisian
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for extracting water from cukes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1-2 teaspoons chili crunch depending on desired spiciness
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 lime juiced
- Handful of chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Wash and dry cucumbers, lay them flat on a cutting board, cover with a clean dish towel, and smash with a rolling pin, flat side of chef’s knife, or bottom of a pan. Smash them until the cucumber splits. It should roughly look like four sections. Then cut the cucumber into 1/4 inch slices, diagonally.
- Transfer smashed cucumbers to a bowl. Sprinkle with kosher salt, let sit for 10 minutes.
- While cucumbers sit, whisk together, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, sugar, sesame oil, chili crunch, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and lime juice until combined.
- Drain cucumbers and toss with dressing and top with cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.