Chinese smashed cucumbers make the perfect cold and crunchy compliment to any Asian stir fry or fried rice dish. Smashed cucumbers mixed with garlic, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Welcome everybody to the high cucumber season!

Last year I told my Dad to not plant 16 cucumber plants because I was overrun with garlic dill refrigerator pickles.

This year he told me he planted 12 plants.

Not much better Dad!

I have about 4 jars pickling away in the fridge right now. I have a few to neighbors and some back to my Dad.

Pickle lovers are hit or miss in my neck of the woods.

Last year even the pickle lovers got sick of me handing them jar after jar.

This year I have turned to salad making to offset the influx of cucumbers.

I love a good cucumber sour cream salad. We have been making this blueberry and cucumber summer salad a lot too.

In addition to those, I also have been topping all the stir fry dishes and scallion pancakes with these Chinese smashed cucumbers.

You start by cutting your cucumbers into 4 pieces. Lay the seed side down and lay your knife flat on top. Think of how you smash a garlic clove. Same idea here.

Smash the cucumber and all the seeds will shoot out of it. It also breaks into smaller chunks. You can always cut the pieces smaller too.

Add the cucumber pieces to a strainer placed over a bowl. Top with a little salt and sugar. Pop those babies in the fridge to chill and drain all the excess liquid.

Mix together a little sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Once the cucumbers are sufficiently drained and chilled, remove them from the fridge. Toss them together with a little of the dressing and then top with sesame seeds.

You can always add some Furikake seasoning blend, everything but the bagel seasoning, or more crushed red pepper flakes to the top too!

I am so happy to share with you another good use for all those cukes instead of a million pickles!

Recipe adapted from New York Times Cooking.

Chinese Smashed Cucumbers

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Smashed cucumber pieces tossed in a sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, and red pepper flake vinaigrette.

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Ingredients

• About 2 pounds thin-skinned cucumbers like English or Persian (8 to 10 mini cucumbers, 4 medium-size or 2 large greenhouse)
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp avocado oil or grape seed oil
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like food)
• sesame seeds for garnish
• a few fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cut cucumbers into 4 large pieces. Place the cut side down and the skin side up on a large cutting board. Flatten your knife on top of the cucumber skin. Smash down on the flat side of the knife with the heel of your palm until the seeds start to come out. You may need to whack each piece a few times in order to get all the seeds out.
2. Cut the smashed cucumbers into bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a large bowl with a strainer set inside it.
3. Once all the cucumbers and smashed and sliced, season with 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of sugar. Set on the counter or in the fridge to drain for at least 15-30 minutes.
4. Add the remaining salt, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, avocado oil, honey, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes to a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
5. Once the cucumbers are drained, add them to a medium serving bowl and top with about 1/2 the prepared vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Add more vinaigrette or salt if needed.
6. Garnish with 1 tsp of sesame seeds and/or fresh cilantro leaves.

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