Chinese · salad
Smashed Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)
Smashed Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) reads allium 3.6, umami 3.4 and salinity 3.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese salad, about 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 3.9 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 3.1 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 2.6 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 0.5 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 3.5 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Allium 3.6 · Umami 3.4 · Salinity 3.3 · Sweetness 3.1 · Nutty 3.0 · Herbaceous 2.9 · Heat 2.8 · Sourness 2.6 · Richness 1.9 · Funk & Ferment 1.6 · Warm Spice 0.8 · Floral 0.7
What's in it (10)
- 3 English
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp black rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp chili oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Time & effort: about 15 min · effort: medium
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 62.7 kcal, 1 g protein, 5.4 g fat, 2.6 g carbs
Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Smash cucumbers with the flat of a cleaver, then tear into rough chunks and salt for 10 minutes before draining.
- Mix garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, and sugar into a dressing.
- Toss cucumbers in the dressing, garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro, and serve cold.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁) — Chinese
- Biang Biang Noodles (You Po Che Mian) — Chinese · Shaanxi
- Crispy Peanut Tofu with Sweet Chili Sauce — Thai
- Fish-Fragrant Aubergine (Yu Xiang Qie Zi) — Chinese · Sichuan
- Bang Bang Chicken (Bang Bang Ji) — Chinese · Sichuan
Keep reading: what allium, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.