Smacked Cucumber Salad with Peanut Dressing
Dive into this refreshing Smacked Cucumber Salad, where crisp cucumbers meet a luscious peanut dressing that’s creamy and oh-so-satisfying! Finished with a sprinkle of crunchy rice for that delightful crunch in every bite, this dish is perfect for a light lunch or a vibrant side at your next gathering. You’ll love the way the flavors and textures come together in this easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing salad!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- Handful of tenderstem broccoli
- 1 cucumber
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 a lemon
- 3 springs spring onion
- Water to loosen
🫙Pantry Staples(6)
- Crispy fried onions and crispy chilli oil to serveoptional
- 2 tbsp smooth Pip & Nut peanut butter (28 g)
- 250g leftover rice (8.82 oz)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (10 ml)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (15 ml)
- Pinch sugar
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (to taste) (15 ml)
📦Other(5)
- Handful of edamame
- 1-2 tbsp gochugaru flakes (15-30 ml)
- Pinch msg
- Handful of peas
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds (45 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Fry the rice in a neutral oil slowly on a medium to low heat until golden brown and crisp.
- 2
Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli, edamame and peas. Smack the cucumber, take out the seeds and roughly chop. In a large bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients and then add the veg and sesame seeds. Mix well.
- 3
In a separate bowl mix the peanut butter sauce together, loosening with water. Pour this onto your platter, top with the smacked cucumber salad, sprinkle over the crispy rice and then finish with crispy onions and chilli oil!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Smack cucumbers with the flat side of a cleaver to create irregular surfaces that increase dressing absorption by 30-40% compared to uniform knife cuts.technique30-40% increased absorption
- ✓Salt smacked cucumbers for 15 minutes and drain to remove 60% of water content, preventing dressing dilution and maintaining crunch.timing15 minutes, 60% water removal
- ✓Fry rice at 275-300°F oil temperature to achieve even browning without burning - rice should bubble gently and take 3-4 minutes per batch.technique275-300°F, 3-4 minutes
- ✓Blanch vegetables for exactly 90 seconds in boiling water, then shock in ice water to halt cooking and preserve bright color through chlorophyll retention.timing90 seconds
- ✓Thin peanut butter sauce with warm water at a 3:1 peanut butter to water ratio for optimal coating consistency without separation.ingredient3:1 ratio
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Smacked Cucumber Salad with Peanut Dressing
Dive into this refreshing Smacked Cucumber Salad, where crisp cucumbers meet a luscious peanut dressing that’s creamy and oh-so-satisfying! Finished with a sprinkle of crunchy rice for that delightful crunch in every bite, this dish is perfect for a light lunch or a vibrant side at your next gathering. You’ll love the way the flavors and textures come together in this easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing salad!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- Handful of tenderstem broccoli
- 1 cucumber
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 a lemon
- 3 springs spring onion
- Water to loosen
🫙Pantry Staples(6)
- Crispy fried onions and crispy chilli oil to serveoptional
- 2 tbsp smooth Pip & Nut peanut butter (28 g)
- 250g leftover rice (8.82 oz)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (10 ml)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (15 ml)
- Pinch sugar
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (to taste) (15 ml)
📦Other(5)
- Handful of edamame
- 1-2 tbsp gochugaru flakes (15-30 ml)
- Pinch msg
- Handful of peas
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds (45 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Fry the rice in a neutral oil slowly on a medium to low heat until golden brown and crisp.
- 2
Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli, edamame and peas. Smack the cucumber, take out the seeds and roughly chop. In a large bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients and then add the veg and sesame seeds. Mix well.
- 3
In a separate bowl mix the peanut butter sauce together, loosening with water. Pour this onto your platter, top with the smacked cucumber salad, sprinkle over the crispy rice and then finish with crispy onions and chilli oil!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Smack cucumbers with the flat side of a cleaver to create irregular surfaces that increase dressing absorption by 30-40% compared to uniform knife cuts.technique30-40% increased absorption
- ✓Salt smacked cucumbers for 15 minutes and drain to remove 60% of water content, preventing dressing dilution and maintaining crunch.timing15 minutes, 60% water removal
- ✓Fry rice at 275-300°F oil temperature to achieve even browning without burning - rice should bubble gently and take 3-4 minutes per batch.technique275-300°F, 3-4 minutes
- ✓Blanch vegetables for exactly 90 seconds in boiling water, then shock in ice water to halt cooking and preserve bright color through chlorophyll retention.timing90 seconds
- ✓Thin peanut butter sauce with warm water at a 3:1 peanut butter to water ratio for optimal coating consistency without separation.ingredient3:1 ratio