Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cucumbers (~20cm/8", scale up/down for shorter/longer, Note 1)
• 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1 eschalot/French onion, halved then very thinly sliced (US: shallot) (Note 2)
• 1 cup green onion, green part only finely sliced (1 large, 2 small stems)
• 2 tbsp+ chilli crisp (crispy chilli oil) – Laoganma is my fave (Note 3)
• 2 tsp white seame seeds, toasted (save some for topping)

Dressing:

• 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar (sub any clear vinegar)
• 2 tsp soy sauce, all-purpose or light (Note 4)
• 2 tsp sesame oil, toasted (ie brown, not yellow)

Steps

Smash & salt cucumbers

1. Strike the cucumbers with a meat mallet, rolling pin or a similar tool until their sides burst open. Halve them lengthwise, then cut into 2.5cm/1" pieces.
2. Salting (30 min): Put the cucumbers in a bowl and toss with the salt. Leave for 30 minutes to draw out water (Note 5). Drain/strain off and discard the salty water, keeping the cucumbers in the same bowl.

Salad

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Check how spicy your chilli crisp is, as the heat varies between brands. With Laoganma, follow the recipe quantity; otherwise adjust to taste.
3. Add the green onion, eschalots, sesame seeds, dressing and chilli crisp to the cucumbers. Toss for ~30 seconds, until the eschalots become floppy.
4. Serve with extra sesame seeds sprinkled over and dollops of chilli crisp, if you dare.
5. The cucumbers keep releasing water: after a few hours or the next day, there will be much more dressing with a less intense flavour. Eat/serve with a spoon to get plenty of dressing in each bite.