Smashed Cucumber Salad 拍黄瓜 pāi huáng guā

Serves 4

• about 400g 1 to 2 English or Japanese cucumber  
• 3 cloves                 garlic, minced
• 4                              red bird chili (optional)
• 4 tablespoons       cooking oil
• 4                              dried red chilies干红辣椒
• 1 teaspoon             Sichuan Peppercorns花椒
• 1                               bay leave月桂叶
• 1 small stick           cinnamon stick肉桂
• 1 slice                      ginger生姜
• 2 green onions (white part only) sliced                    

 Vinegar Dressing

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon    Chinese white rice vinegar 白米醋
• 2 tablespoons   Chinkiang vinegar镇江香醋
• 1 teaspoon         Sesame oil 香油
• 1 tablespoon     light soy sauce 生抽

Method

1. Place the cucumbers on the chopping board. Using the side of a cleaver or chef knife, smash the cumbers until they have cracked into several small long pieces. Remove the tops and bottoms and cut into small bite sized pieces. Place in a serving bowl. Finely sliced red bird chili and mince the garlic. Place garlic on top of the cucumbers.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan and add a slice of ginger, sliced green onions, dried chilies, bay leave, cinnamon stick and Sichuan peppercorns. Fry over low heat until the green onions and ginger release their fragrance and the chili turns bright red. Switch off the heat and remove all the spices. Pour the hot over the minced garlic.
3. Add into salt, sugar, rice vinegar, Chinkiang vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil. Mix well.