Author: Always Tasty!
01 June 2020 18:43
Community: Cooking Recipes
Tags: broken cucumbers video video recipe always delicious food cooking culinary recipes recipes
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Broken cucumbers are a Chinese snack that has become very popular in cafes and restaurants on all continents. The secret of their popularity is explained primarily by the fact that they are prepared very quickly and simply, and the snack itself always turns out fresh, hot and spicy. Broken cucumbers can be used as a salad and side dish to successfully complement a meat or fish dish.
What are broken cucumbers and why are they called that?
The name of the snack is truly puzzling. But only until you see it or look at the recipe. The cucumbers, which are the main staple of the dish, really get beat up. It is difficult for a Russian person to imagine the picture of “beating” a green vegetable. But the Chinese do a great job with this.
Before you start preparing the snack, you need to choose the right cucumbers. Young, strong, pimply vegetables are not suitable for Pai Huanggua. You will need long, smooth cucumbers, known as "Chinese" cucumbers. Although in their absence, any fruit can be used.
The preparation technology is quite simple, consisting of several steps:
- washed fruits are cut lengthwise into 2 parts;
- using a teaspoon or knife, remove part of the cucumber pulp with seeds;
- The prepared cucumbers are placed skin side up and beaten using a rolling pin, wide knife or kitchen hammer. To prevent pieces of the vegetable from scattering around the kitchen, cucumbers can be placed in a plastic bag;
- “beating” continues exactly until the vegetables stop crunching when beaten;
- cucumber preparations are cut to the desired size and salted;
- after about 10 minutes, the resulting juice is drained, and the cucumber pieces are poured with the pre-prepared sauce;
- in this form, the appetizer is kept in the refrigerator for a short period of time (from 15 to 60 minutes) and served.
A mandatory component of the snack is soy sauce and seasonings. Each recipe has a different set of them, which gives the dish an authentic taste.
The simplest and most delicious recipe for chopped cucumbers
A simple but spicy oriental appetizer according to this recipe does not require long preparation. Just 20 minutes and the “beaten” vegetables can already be laid out on plates. This Asian delicacy will become a highlight of both everyday and holiday tables. It is unlikely that any of the guests or household members will refuse the supplement!
Products:
- 6 cucumbers;
- 1.5 pods of chili pepper;
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar;
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce;
- 8 garlic cloves;
- 2 tbsp. sesame oil;
- according to preference, cilantro.
Technology:
- Peel the garlic. Chop with a knife.
- Place garlic and washed cut cucumbers without seeds into a clean bag. Place on a cutting board and chop the food.
- As soon as the cucumbers crack, the procedure can be completed.
- Place vegetables in a deep container, pour in the required amount of liquid ingredients (sauce, oil and vinegar). Stir.
- Cut the washed chili into thin rings and add to the food in a bowl.
- Chop the washed cilantro and add to the mixture. Stir everything thoroughly.
- Place the appetizer in a salad bowl and serve.
A simple recipe for chopped cucumbers
This recipe for crushed cucumbers is even simpler in composition and does not contain exotic ingredients.
Ingredients:
- cucumbers – 1 kg;
- soy sauce – 2 tbsp;
- lemon juice – 2 tbsp;
- sesame oil – 1 tbsp;
- sugar – 1 tbsp;
- garlic – 6-8 cloves;
- dill, chili pepper.
Preparation:
The cucumbers need to be washed and cut into not too thin slices.
Place the pieces in a bag and add garlic and dill, chopped into large pieces.
Mix soy sauce with a spoon of sugar or liquid honey, lemon juice and sesame oil.
You can use regular oil, but with sesame it will be more flavorful.
Pour the mixture over the cucumbers, tie the bag and beat the cucumbers with a rolling pin.
For those who like it spicy, you can add chili peppers by cutting a fresh pod or adding dried ones.
Leave in a cool place for an hour and then serve.
Chinese smashed cucumbers: recipe with cashews
A battered appetizer made according to this recipe can often be found in oriental restaurants. The taste of the vegetable echoes soy sauce. Next, rice vinegar comes into play, adding a slight sourness. The final chord in the “song of taste” comes from the combination of nuts and garlic. The aroma of the oriental delicacy is so bright that it awakens the appetite even more.
Products:
- 0.5 kg of cucumbers;
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil;
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar;
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce;
- 50 g cashews;
- 1/2 tbsp. Sahara;
- 1 chili pod;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- according to preference, cilantro (or parsley).
Technology:
- Cut the washed cucumber fruits lengthwise, remove the seeds and chop the vegetable into bars.
- Place everything in a bag and tap the cucumber bars well with a rolling pin.
- Separate the vegetable juice and place the cucumbers in a bowl.
- Add sugar, sauce, vinegar and oil. Stir.
- Remove the peel from the garlic, finely chop it and add it to the seasoned cucumbers.
- Rinse the cilantro or parsley, chop finely and place in a bowl with the cucumbers.
- Wash the chili and cut into arbitrary pieces. Add to appetizer. If you don’t like spicy, then it’s acceptable to use half or even a quarter of the pod.
- Rinse cashews. Fry for about 10 minutes in a frying pan with a thick bottom at moderate temperature.
- Lightly mash the nuts and place in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir.
- The appetizer goes well with rice or meat.
Broken cucumbers - recipe with sesame oil and soy sauce
Aromatic sesame oil in exotic Chinese cuisine is usually used in conjunction with soy sauce. It goes well with vegetables and meat, but is not at all suitable for frying. Without habit, its smell seems too rich.
Therefore, those who have not added it to their dishes are recommended to start with just a few drops. Or mix with other oils, such as peanut.
https://youtu.be/Cuh1kLkc1h0
Ingredients:
- cucumbers - 5 pcs;
- garlic - 5 cloves;
- chili pepper - 1 pod;
- cilantro - 2-3 sprigs.
For refueling:
- soy sauce - 1 tbsp. l;
- sesame oil - 1 tbsp. l;
- rice vinegar - 1 tbsp. spoon;
Step-by-step guide with photos: Cut the prepared fruits (washed, dried, with the tops and tails cut off) lengthwise into 2 parts. Cut each slice into 2 more pieces crosswise. Chop the garlic into large pieces.
Place the vegetable and garlic into a plastic bag. If possible, “drive” the air out of it, twist it and put the package in a second, more durable bag.
Beat the contents with a wooden rolling pin, cutting board, metal ladle or any other device.
The main thing is to slap the vegetables lightly so that they release the juice and the fruits are saturated with the taste of garlic. Transfer the crushed cucumbers from the bag to a bowl. Add chopped chili pepper.
Add a tablespoon of soy sauce and aromatic sesame oil. Pour in one tablespoon of Chinese rice vinegar. White is best, but black can also be used.
Mix the dish well with a spoon. Place in a salad bowl, sprinkle with coarsely chopped cilantro on top and serve immediately.
If the dish sits for some time, the fruits, under the influence of hot sauce and vinegar, will marinate and become completely saturated with the dressing. And it will be a pickled appetizer, not fresh vegetables.
How to cook crushed cucumbers with peanuts and soy sauce
This salad is simply a godsend for vegetarians and lovers of oriental cooking. Cucumbers and peanuts go well together, and spices only enhance the taste of the dish. The preparation is quick; the appetizer will only take 15-30 minutes to stand.
Products:
- 300 g raw peanuts;
- 1 cucumber;
- 2-3 sprigs of cilantro (celery or parsley);
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 1 pod of hot pepper;
- 4 tsp sesame oil;
- 2 tsp soy sauce (preferably light);
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (preferably dark);
- 1/2 tsp. salt;
- 2 tsp Sahara.
Technology:
- Before preparing the snack itself, you need to properly prepare the peanuts. According to standard technologies, raw nuts need to be soaked in cold water for 60 minutes.
- Then remove the water and place the container with peanuts in the refrigerator for 10-12 hours.
- Next, you need to fry the product in vegetable oil for 10 minutes. The nuts should change color (become dark) and float.
- Remove the finished peanuts from the oil and place on paper to remove excess oil. After an hour, you can start preparing the base of the snack.
- Combine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a bowl. Stir.
- Rinse the greens, peel the garlic, wash the cucumber and pepper.
- Cut the cucumber fruit in half, remove the seeds, beat and cut into small pieces.
- Pass the garlic through a press, finely chop the chili.
- Chop the cilantro.
- Combine the products with peanuts, add salt, stir and pour in the dressing. Mix again.
- Place in the refrigerator for a quarter of an hour before serving.
How to cook crushed cucumbers, and with what ingredients
During the summer and autumn seasons, cucumbers are cheap and are sold in any grocery store. But eating them fresh quickly gets boring. Either way, they're beaten. They look much more interesting, and the spicy taste goes well with almost any food. But to cook it properly, you need to know what ingredients you will need.
- Cucumbers. Half a kilo. Choose exclusively young and dense fruits. It is important that they have small seeds and do not spoil the taste. Bitter peel is also not desirable. Although the bitterness is removed by soaking it in water for several hours.
- Garlic. 3 cloves. Since Chinese cooking is spicy, you shouldn't skimp on garlic. You can add more than specified in the recipe.
- Chilli. Depending on how spicy you want the result, take half or a whole pepper. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise you simply won’t be able to try what you’ve prepared without getting burned.
- Vinegar. One and a half tablespoons. According to the recipe, you need to use rice vinegar.
- Sesame oil. 1 tablespoon.
- Soy sauce. One and a half tbsp. spoons.
- Sugar. Half a century l.
- Salt. Add to taste.
- Sesame seeds. 1-1.5 tbsp. spoons. It will be used for decoration and will add an original flavor.
If you can't find rice vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar. Sesame oil can also be a problem, if you can't find it, just add a little more seeds.
A simple recipe for chopped cucumbers with beef and cilantro
This culinary masterpiece is suitable for any side dish, be it American, Russian or Italian cuisine. Beef, juicy bright vegetables and aromatic wine vinegar dressing – a crazy combination of flavors and colors.
Products:
- 0.4 kg beef fillet;
- 0.4 kg of cucumbers;
- 1/2 tbsp. Sahara;
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 2 tbsp. wine vinegar;
- 1 onion;
- 3 tbsp. sesame oil;
- 1 bell pepper;
- pepper and salt according to preference.
Technology:
- Wash the cucumbers well, cut them, remove the seeds. Cut into small pieces and beat them on a cutting board. Place the “broken” cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar and salt. After 20 minutes, drain the juice from the vegetables.
- Peel the onion, rinse, cut into half rings.
- Wash the sweet pepper, remove the seeds and cut into thin strips.
- Remove the peel from the garlic cloves and chop finely.
- Rinse the beef fillet and cut into medium-thick strips.
- Heat a frying pan with oil and fry the meat strips for 20 minutes.
- Place cucumbers, peppers, onions, beef (with butter), and garlic in a salad bowl. Season with pepper and salt.
- Pour in wine vinegar, soy sauce and stir.
- Cover the dishes and put them in the refrigerator for a quarter of an hour.
Broken cucumbers (recipe from a Chinese restaurant)
Spices and sauce are the main secret of this appetizer, which has become a hit at the Chinese Letter restaurant. The chef of the establishment, Zhang Xiancheng, shared the recipe for preparing the dish at home.
Products:
- 240 g cucumbers;
- 50 ml soy sauce;
- 40 g roasted cashew nuts;
- a pinch of sugar;
- 5 sprigs of cilantro;
- 4 g chicken powder;
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil;
- 1 tbsp. hot oil;
- 5 g grated garlic with oil.
Technology:
- Wash the cucumbers, cut off the ends.
- Place the vegetables on the board and press down with a heavy, wide knife. Cut the burst cucumbers into bars.
- Throw the “broken” vegetables into a bowl, add chicken powder, cashews, sugar and grated garlic.
- Tear the washed cilantro and add to the food.
- Pour in hot and sesame oils, soy sauce.
- Stir thoroughly.
- Place in a beautiful salad bowl. Serve to the table.
Beaten cucumbers with cashews
This salad is served in Chinese restaurants, but you can easily prepare this exotic dish at home.
Ingredients:
- cucumbers – 0.5 kg;
- soy sauce – 1 tbsp;
- rice vinegar – 1 tbsp;
- sesame oil – 1 tbsp;
- sugar – 0.5 tbsp;
- garlic – 4-5 cloves;
- nuts – 50 gr.;
- cilantro, chili pepper.
Preparation:
- Wash the cucumbers and cut into slices. Place in a bag and beat with a rolling pin until you get a characteristic crunch.
- Drain the resulting juice and place the cucumber slices in a salad bowl.
- Mix light soy sauce, sesame oil, black rice vinegar in a bowl. Add a lot of sugar or liquid honey.
- Season the cucumbers with the resulting mixture, and sprinkle the salad with finely chopped garlic and cilantro.
- If desired, add hot pepper, seeded and cut into thin half rings.
- Sprinkle the roasted cashews over the salad and toss to combine.
- The finished salad can be served immediately.
This dish can be simply a vegetable salad or an addition to cold cuts or a hot dish.
How to cook crushed cucumbers with sesame seeds and lemon juice
You can treat yourself to a dish of oriental cuisine without leaving your home. This recipe combines simplicity, harmony of taste and aroma.
Products:
- 0.6 kg of cucumbers;
- 10 g sesame seeds;
- 1 tsp fish sauce;
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil;
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce;
- 1/4 chili pod (you can increase or decrease the amount at your discretion);
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice;
- according to preference, cilantro.
Technology:
- Wash and dry the cucumbers. Cut into halves, select the seeds and “beat” with a culinary hammer, after covering the vegetables with cling film.
- Cut the cucumbers into small pieces (about 2 cm).
- Grind the chili, rinse the cilantro and tear into random pieces. Place everything in a bowl.
- Add soy and fish sauce, sesame oil and lemon juice. Stir well.
- Combine cucumbers with the resulting sauce.
- Arrange the appetizer in portions and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Broken cucumbers - step-by-step recipe with photos
To prepare crushed cucumbers, we take large fruits with juicy pulp, in which seeds have already formed. Cucumbers should be washed. After this, use a sharp knife to cut them lengthwise into halves.
Remove the pulp from the resulting cucumber boats. It is convenient to do this using a coffee or teaspoon, walking it along the border of the cucumber pulp with its walls. Next, using the same spoon, remove the pulp. This is what the finished boats for preparing broken cucumbers should look like.
Place the cucumbers on a cutting board, back side up. Now the most interesting procedure - we will beat them. In many recipes for crushed cucumbers that I came across on the Internet, it is recommended to beat them with the tip of a wide knife placed parallel to the cucumbers. I tried it - it’s not convenient. A chop mallet is also not suitable. The best thing you can use to beat cucumbers is makogon or, in other words, a masher. Wooden, which used to be used to mash potatoes. A small wooden mortar pestle will also work.
So, we hit the cucumbers with sharp and fairly strong blows. Of course, you should not overdo it here. We need to ensure that the boats crack only in 1-2 places, and the cucumber pulp itself becomes more juicy.
After this procedure, cut the broken cucumbers lengthwise into strips 1 cm thick. Cut each strip diagonally (at an angle) into 2 cm pieces.
Place the cucumbers in a bowl. Add to them the garlic passed through a press and finely chopped chili pepper.
Sprinkle them with black ground pepper.
Pour soy sauce over them.
To make the chopped cucumber salad spicy, season it with vinegar. It is recommended to use rice vinegar for preparing crushed cucumbers in Chinese, but since not every home has this product, take a simple table vinegar or affordable apple cider vinegar. I used apple cider vinegar.
Pour vegetable oil over the cucumbers. Preferably sesame, the dish is Chinese after all, or olive if there is no such thing.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
Place the broken Chinese cucumbers Transfer the finished spicy pickled cucumbers to a plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds heated in a frying pan. Since this appetizer is considered Chinese, it is best served with rice, but such cucumbers with new potatoes, and especially with fried meat or shish kebab, are no less tasty.
Enjoy your meal. And finally, a small note. If you are preparing a large portion of cucumbers with a reserve, it is best to remove the hot pepper an hour after cooking, otherwise the appetizer will become very hot and impossible to eat. I will be glad if this recipe for Chinese smashed cucumbers is useful to you. Try it, it's very tasty. I also recommend preparing quick lightly salted cucumbers in a jar.
Chinese cucumbers in honey dressing
Subtleties and variety can be added to the taste of the “beaten” cucumber snack with the help of ordinary honey.
Products:
- 4 cucumbers;
- 2 tbsp. honey (preferably liquid);
- 3 tbsp. rice vinegar (black);
- 1 tsp sesame oil;
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil;
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce;
- 4 garlic cloves;
- 40 g peanuts;
- salt and cilantro according to preference.
Technology:
- Peel the garlic and chop finely.
- Heat the frying pan. Pour in vegetable oil and throw in the garlic. Fry the spicy vegetable until a “delicious” aroma appears.
- Place the fried garlic and oil in a bowl.
- Add rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil to the garlic. Add salt. Mix.
- Wash the cucumbers, cut lengthwise into 4 parts, and then into small slices. It is not necessary to remove the seeds.
- Place the chopped vegetables in a bag. Place on a board and crush the vegetables with a wide, flat knife.
- Add cucumbers to sauce. Stir and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- While the vegetables are pickling, you need to prepare the peanuts. If the nuts are raw, they need to be fried for 10 minutes until golden brown.
- Add peanuts and randomly chopped cilantro to the pickled cucumbers.
- Stir the ingredients thoroughly and place in the refrigerator for another half hour.
If you cannot find some products, you can replace them with regular ones. For example, use regular table vinegar instead of rice vinegar, and peeled sunflower seeds instead of sesame seeds.
“Broken” cucumbers are an extraordinary appetizer that even an inexperienced cook can handle. The vegetables turn out amazingly tasty and beautiful.