Salad of chopped cucumbers and watermelon
Complexity: easily
Servings: 4
Calories 289, total fat 12 G., saturated fats 1 G., proteins 5 G., carbohydrates 48 G., fiber 5 G., cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 1569 mg, sugar 32 G.
Smashed cucumber salad (or pai huang gua) is a staple side dish in many Chinese restaurants. It's typically made with cucumbers dressed with black vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame seeds (or sesame oil). Other variations add chili and sometimes Sichuan peppercorns. First, the cucumbers are pounded to create jagged edges and increase the surface area exposed to the dressing, which softens the skin, firms the flesh, and draws out excess water to concentrate the flavor. This version combines the freshness of sweet watermelon with an abundance of greenery, with a hint of chili and ginger. There are many ways to prepare smashed cucumbers: you can pound them with the flat side of a large knife, a rolling pin, or even a meat mallet. This vibrant summer salad is sure to delight your taste buds.
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.
Ingredients for the recipe:
- 2 firm cucumbers (about 800 g total)
- 3 tbsp. neutral vegetable oil
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup chopped)
- Zest of 2 limes and 3 tbsp. l. lime juice
- 1 tbsp. Chinese black vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1.5 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 red Thai chili or any other small red chili, minced (see Note)
- Half a small seedless watermelon, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes (about 700g or 3 cups)
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped, plus extra for serving
- 0.5 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped, plus extra for serving
We recommend
Cooking the dish according to the recipe:
- Peel the cucumbers partially, cut into strips, and cut in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Pound the cucumbers with the flat side of a large knife (or a rolling pin) to force them to separate naturally. Split them along the split. Slice the cucumbers diagonally into 2-cm pieces. In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers with 2 teaspoons of salt. Let them sit at room temperature until some of the liquid has released, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, heat neutral oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and add the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are mostly browned, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes (the shallots will continue to brown).
- Once the onions have cooled, add the following ingredients in this order: lime zest, Chinese black vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, red chili pepper, and lime juice and stir until the sugar dissolves; set aside.
- Drain the cucumbers and pat them dry with paper towels. Toss the cucumbers, watermelon, cilantro, and mint with the lime-soy dressing and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle with the remaining toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and mint.
Note
Despite its small size, red Thai chilies are quite hot, so to tone it down a bit, cut the pod in half, remove the seeds, and chop it finely. You can use any other hot chili you prefer.
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