FOOD NEWS
When It Comes To Asian Cucumber Salad, It's All About Smashing
By Crystal Antonace
Asian cucumber salad has delicious ingredients for a zesty and umami flavor. For these vegetables to soak up the sauce, you'll need more than just cucumber rounds.
Regular cucumbers won't have the same flavor and won't be able to soak up all the added flavors from the dressing, so one of the most important steps is to smash the cucumbers.
To make the most out of Asian cucumber salad, buy seedless cucumbers. Then, use the flat edge of your knife or another utensil to smash the cucumber.
To minimize any mess, cover your cucumbers in plastic. Hit the blade a few times with the palm of your hand, or use a rolling pin or meat mallet until you see noticeable cracks.
Once they're smashed, cut the cucumbers down the middle and chop. To ensure they stay crisp, sprinkle some salt, let it sit for 30 minutes, then drain excess liquid.