PAI HUANG GUA RECIPES

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.

Steps:

• Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry.
• For Persian cucumbers: Place on a cutting board and smash lightly with a large cleaver until the cucumber cracks. Cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces.
• For English cucumbers: Cut in half lengthwise. If the cucumbers have a lot of seeds, use a spoon to scoop them out. Place the cucumber flesh side down on the cutting board and lightly with a large cleaver until cracked. Cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces.
• In a bowl, toss the cucumbers with the salt. Let the cucumbers marinate for at least 10-15 minutes to draw out excess water.
• To serve, drain off any liquid and toss the drained cucumber with the remaining ingredients. Taste and add more salt, garlic, and/or chili oil if desired.