Dish of Cucumber Salad, Yunnan - Bai
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Cucumber Salad, Bai


China, Yunnan, Bai
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 14 oz
**
40 min
Yes		 An interesting salad from the Bai people of western Yunnan. The soy sauce makes it quite different from most vinegar and oil salads.

1
1/2
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1
1
1
1/4
1
1/4
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1
1
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T
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cl
T
T
t
T
t
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T
t
Cucumbers (1)
Salt
-- Dressing
Garlic
Soy Sauce
Rice Vinegar
Chili Flake (2)  
Oil
Sesame Oil
-- Garnish
Peanuts (3)
Sesame (4)
Do-Ahead
  1. Dry roast Peanuts if you don't have them already on hand. See our recipe Dry Roasted Peanuts.
  2. Toast Sesame Seeds if you don't have them on hand. See our recipe Toasted Sesame Seeds.
Make   -   (40 min - 20 min work)
  1. Cut the ends off the CUCUMBERS. Smack them (presuming Persians or similar) with your kitchen mallet, then turn 1/4 and smack some more. They should split into thirds or quarters. If some are too wide, split them lengthwise with a knife. Cut the strips into 3/4 inch lengths.
  2. Place Cucumbers in a bowl and mix them well with the salt. Let them sit for 30 minutes or so. This will prevent the salad from getting watery when standing.
  3. Crush GARLIC and chop very fine. Mix all Dressing items in a small jar.
  4. Drain Cucumbers very well, but don't rinse.
  5. Crush Peanuts for Garnish.
  6. Shake the dressing up well and pour over the Cucumbers. Toss to coat well.
  7. Serve garnished with Sesame Seeds and Crushed Peanuts.
NOTES:

  1. Cucumber:

      If at all possible use thin cucumbers like Persian or Japanese that don't have to be peeled and seeded. The instructions above presume Persians 6 inches long. If all you have is the standard waxed green blimps, you will have to peel and seed them, then weigh them. For details see our Cucumbers page.

  2. Chili Flake:

      In Yunnan, Erjingtiao Chilis would probably be used, but they are not much available in North America, so we generally use Korean Chili Flake, which is usually not overly hot - use your own best judgement for type and quantity. For details see our Korean & Japanese Chilis and Chinese Chilis pages.

  3. Dry Roasted Peanuts

      Used a garnish for many Chinese and Southeast Asian recipes, these have a much different flavor and texture than commercial roasted peanuts. See our recipe Dry Roasted Peanuts.

  4. Sesame Seeds, Toasted:

      These are an essential item for Chinese, Japanese and Korean cooking, so should always be on hand for those cuisines. They are available already toasted in Asian markets, but are better and more reliably fresh made at home. See our easy recipe Toasted Sesame Seeds. Sealed in an air tight jar, away from heat and sunlight, they will last for several months.
  5. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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