Sichuan Salad Piquant Recipes

SMACKED CUCUMBER SALAD 拍黄瓜

Steps:

• Trim off both ends of the cucumber. Lay it on a cutting board and smack it a few times with the flat side of a Chinese cleaver, knife blade, or heavy rolling pin until it splits into large pieces. (To prevent the seeds from flying out over your counter, you can also place the cucumber in a zip-top bag or wrap it in a towel first.) Cut the split cucumber at a diagonal into ½-inch bite-sized pieces. Place them in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly with the salt, then cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Drain off any water the cucumber has released (without rinsing off the salt). Add the garlic, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and chili oil and toss to coat, adjusting the seasonings to taste; more soy sauce for savoriness, more vinegar for acidity, or chili oil for extra aroma and heat. Let sit in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes before serving.
• The cucumbers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

SICHUAN CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add red chile peppers; cook and stir until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a spice grinder; pulse until coarsely ground.
• Mix ground chile peppers, soy sauce, spring onion, sesame oil, hot chile oil, brown sugar, garlic, black vinegar, and sesame seeds together in a bowl to make dressing.
• Place cucumbers on a serving plate. Pour dressing on top and toss well. Let sit before serving, about 3 minutes.

SICHUAN CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Cut the celery thinly on the diagonal; stack and cut into matchstick shreds. In enough water to cover the celery, parboil it for 10 seconds; drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
• Mix the chilies, ginger, garlic and scallions with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt and white pepper in a bowl, and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Toss with the chicken, sesame oil, celery and coriander. Allow to sit 5 minutes; toss again and serve.