Sichuan Cucumber Salad Recipes

SICHUAN CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add red chile peppers; cook and stir until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a spice grinder; pulse until coarsely ground.
• Mix ground chile peppers, soy sauce, spring onion, sesame oil, hot chile oil, brown sugar, garlic, black vinegar, and sesame seeds together in a bowl to make dressing.
• Place cucumbers on a serving plate. Pour dressing on top and toss well. Let sit before serving, about 3 minutes.

SICHUAN CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Combine the cucumber slices and salt. Stir to coat and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat the cooking oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and Sichuan peppercorns; cook until fragrant. Remove to a bowl and let cool. Add the remaining dressing ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour over cucumber slices and mix well. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.

CHUNKY BACON AND CUCUMBER SALAD (SICHUAN 'KAI-WEI' SALAD)

Steps:

• Heat a wok or pan over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Add the dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns, and stir-fry for a few seconds, until fragrant. Add the star anise, lardons, and chiles, and stir-fry until the lardons have turned golden brown at the edges.
• Add the rice wine or sherry, vinegar, and sesame oil, and stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the cucumber, and stir-fry for another few seconds.
• Season with the sea salt, dried chile flakes, and lime juice.
• Arrange the salad on a serving plate, drizzle over the chile oil, and garnish with the chopped cilantro and peanuts, if using. Serve immediately.

CHINESE SMASHED CUCUMBERS WITH SESAME OIL AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Rinse cucumbers and pat dry. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 inches long. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
• On a work surface, place a piece of cucumber (or several) cut side down. Lay the blade of a large knife flat on top the cucumber and smash down lightly with your other hand. The skin will begin to crack, the flesh will break down and the seeds will separate. Repeat until the whole piece is smashed. Break or slice diagonally into bite-size pieces, leaving the seeds behind.
• Place the cucumber pieces in a strainer and toss with a big pinch of salt and a big pinch of sugar. Place a plastic bag filled with ice on top of the cucumbers to serve as a weight and place the strainer over a bowl. Let drain 15 to 30 minutes on the counter, or in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine salt, sugar and rice vinegar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in sesame oil and soy sauce.
• When ready to serve, shake cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with grapeseed or olive oil and toss. Add half the dressing, half the garlic and the red pepper flakes to taste, and toss. Keep adding dressing until cucumbers are well coated but not drowned. Taste and add more pepper flakes and garlic if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds.

SZECHUAN CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Peel the cucumbers, cut in half crosswise and then in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut into strips about 2 in (5 cm) long and 1/2 in (1 cm) wide.
• Sprinkle cucumber strips with salt and mix thoroughly. Set aside for at.
• least 10 minutes at room temperature. Drain the cucumbers and squeeze out all the excess liquid with your hands. Clean the scallions and cut them into 2 in (5 cm) lengths, cut these into thin strips, and add to the cucumbers. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix.

QUICK AND EASY ASIAN SESAME CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Cut cucumbers into long, thin noodle shapes using a spiralizer set to the thinnest setting.
• Place cucumber noodles in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss until combined. Let cucumber stand until moisture is drawn out, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar together in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumber; toss gently until coated. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; sprinkle with sesame seeds.