# The Best Chinese Cucumber Salad is Smashed (拍黄瓜)

This recipe details how to make a Chinese cucumber salad by smashing the cucumbers to enhance flavor absorption.

- Total time: 15 min
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Category: Salad
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- mini or long skinny cucumber
- 0.75 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- cilantro
- diced Thai birdeye chilies
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hot chili oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 0.5 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil

## Instructions

1. Smash the cucumbers with a Cleaver, rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or your fist until they start to split along the length.
2. Cut the smashed cucumber diagonally into 2-inch long pieces.
3. Season the cucumber with 3/4 teaspoon of salt.
4. Toss the cucumber thoroughly with salt and set aside for 15 minutes.
5. Grate two cloves of garlic finely.
6. Dice a little bit of cilantro.
7. Prepare some diced Thai birdeye chilies (optional).
8. Add 1 tbsp of soy sauce to the dressing.
9. Add 1 tbsp of hot chili oil to the dressing (optional).
10. Add 1 tbsp of vinegar (Chinese black vinegar or apple cider vinegar) to the dressing.
11. Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to the dressing.
12. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to the dressing.
13. Lightly squeeze the salted cucumber to discard excess liquid.
14. Mix the cucumber with the prepared dressing and toss thoroughly.

## Equipment

- Cleaver
- rolling pin
- meat tenderizer
- knife set

## Tips

- Smashing cucumbers creates lots of bruises which allows the seasoning to infuse into the cucumber.
- If using a fatter kind of cucumber, remove the seeds first.
- Do not use too much raw garlic, two cloves are plenty, otherwise it will overpower the fresh taste of the cucumber.
- If you don't eat spicy food, you can skip the chilies and chili oil.
- You can use apple cider vinegar as a substitute for Chinese black vinegar.
- Lightly squeeze and discard the excess liquid from the cucumbers after salting to prevent diluting the seasoning.
- To prepare ahead of time, keep the cucumber and dressing separate in the fridge and mix right before serving.

## Source

- Original video: https://youtu.be/dgUwFt2ezW4?si=kQMtaf48IzXIjm23
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/5e00476e-fb86-4551-b58a-781cee8c5c97
- Extracted: 2026-03-08

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt