Taiwanese Cucumber Salad 涼拌小黃瓜

It's been super hot in Texas! I've been keeping myself in air conditioned rooms and drinking lots of iced water and trying everything I can to not turn on the stove. This simple dish is just perfect because it involves absolutely no heating of food.

涼拌 (Mandarin: liang ban) literally means "chilled and dressed (in a dressing)," so basically any dish that is referred to as "涼拌" is a salad. This dish often appears as a small starter dish on a Taiwanese banquet table to help whet the banquet guests' appetite. My grandmother used to make it for us when she visited in the summer. It is light and crisp and refreshing during the dog days of summer.

Since this is a cucumber salad, the type of cucumber you use will make or break this dish. In Taiwan, of course, they use Taiwanese cucumbers, which can sometimes be found in Chinese supermarkets. Taiwanese cucumbers are long and thin. They have a thinner skin and a crisper texture than the regular slicer cucumbers you see in the American grocery stores. Regular slicer cucumbers are not good substitutes. Their skin is too tough and thick. They're not sweet or crisp enough. And the seeds and tough skin make them taste bitter. English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers are both better substitutes. This time, I'm using Persian cucumbers, which I found at Trader Joe's.

You will need: 6 Persian cucumbers, 1 clove of garlic, 2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1+1/2 Tbsp vinegar, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil.

Cut the ends off the cucumbers.

Then use the flat side of your knife's blade to smash the cucumbers until they break open. I like using my heavy duty Chinese cleaver for this. This is great for taking out any anger you may have.

All smashed up!

Cut the cucumbers into sections, about 1.5 inches long. If there are large clumps of seeds, discard them. (Persian cucumbers should be nearly seedless, but if they are too ripe, there may be seeds.)

Put the cucumber sections into a gallon-size Ziploc bag (or a large bowl).

Mince the garlic.

And throw the garlic into the Ziploc bag too.

Now, add the sugar and salt to the bag.

Zip the bag close. And shake vigorously. (Toss well if you're using a bowl.) Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Add the vinegar and sesame oil. Close and shake again. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

And you're done! Drain and serve.

It is best to eat all of this dish on the same day that it is prepared. If you must store leftovers, make sure to drain the liquid first. Then cover and refrigerate. Finish within three days.