Pāi Huáng Guā (Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad)
Smash your way to a fun, fresh side dish with this kid-friendly recipe for Pāi Huáng Guā, or Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad. You'll fall in love with the beautiful way it tastes, just like in the book The Ugly Vegetables.
Good To Know
- Small, thin-skinned Persian (aka mini) cucumbers work the best in this recipe, and can usually be found in 1-pound packages at the grocery store. If you can’t find them, use a large English cucumber, cut into 3 to 4-inch lengths as a substitute. If you're lucky enough to grow or find Chinese cucumbers, use those! But don’t use American cucumbers here; their skins are thick and hard to smash, and they tend to have a lot of watery seeds inside.
- Chinese Chinkiang (or Zhenjiang) black vinegar gives this salad lots of flavor. If you can’t find it, use 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce as a substitute.
- If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can smash the cucumbers with a meat mallet or the bottom of a small skillet; just make sure to smash gently and be careful not to break the bag open.
Equipment You'll Need
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Large resealable plastic bag
- Rolling Pin
- Colander
- Large bowl (optional)
- Spoon
- Large serving bowl
Measure Your Ingredients
- 1 pound Persian (mini) cucumbers (about 6 total)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Chili crisp or chili oil, to taste (optional)
Let's Cook!
- 1 pound Persian (mini) cucumbersUse a chef’s knife to cut the ends off of the cucumbers and discard the ends. Transfer the trimmed cucumbers to a large resealable plastic bag, press out the extra air, then seal the bag shut.
- Use a rolling pin to gently smash the cucumbers inside the bag until they’re flattened and broken into long spears and irregular pieces.
- ¾ teaspoon kosher saltSet a colander over a large bowl or set it in the sink. Pour the cucumbers into the colander and use your hands to tear them into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle the pieces with the kosher salt, and stir with a spoon until the salt evenly coats the cucumbers. Let sit until the extra liquid drains away, about 5 minutes.
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon granulated sugarMeanwhile, in a large serving bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, and sugar until well combined.
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, Chili crisp or chili oil, to tasteTransfer the drained cucumbers to the serving bowl with the dressing and stir until well coated. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and drizzle with chili crisp or chili oil, if you like a little spice, and serve immediately.