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Home » Low Carb Salads

Pai Huang Gua A.K.A. Smashed Cucumber Salad

Made by Anastasia Papapetros - Serves 4 Filed Under: Low Carb Salads, Salad Index, Salad Recipes By Ingredient, Salads by Diet, Salads by Season, Salads Recipes By Type, Summer Salads, Vegan Salads, Vegetable Salad, Vegetarian Salads

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Ready for a salad workout? Let me introduce you to Pai Huang Gua, otherwise known as Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad. This simple yet delicious salad is a classic dish in many Asian cuisines. It is made by smashing cucumbers and then tossing them with some Asian favourites for an easy show-stopping salad.

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Pai Huang Gua salad with chlli, cilantro and szechuan in background with text overlay.

Pai Huang Gua is a classic Chinese cucumber salad recipe that’s beloved for its mix of flavours and texture. It’s tangy, it’s crunchy, and it’s the perfect way to start a meal.

For more cool cucumber salad recipes with an Asian note, why not try our Chinese Cucumber Salad or our Healthy Szechuan Cucumber Salad, they are just as delicious!

In This Post:
 [hide]
  1. Pai Huang Gua Ingredients
  2. How to Make Pai Huang Gua
  3.  Serving Suggestions  🥢🥡
  4. People Also Ask
  5. Some More Cucumber Salads to Try:
  6. Recipe Card

Pai Huang Gua Ingredients

There are several versions of this salad, some without Szechuan peppercorns, some with dried or no chilli instead of fresh, some without garlic, some without coriander/cilantro, some with black vinegar added, as well as rice vinegar.

It is really up to you to decide what to include; we have used -

  • Cucumbers - Long English cucumbers are best, or Lebanese/ Persian cucumbers are great.
  • Fresh Coriander/ Cilantro -for some fresh citrusy flavour, if you find that cilantro tastes 'soapy', then try some Thai basil or Asian mint instead.
  • Long Red Chilli - added for a pop of colour and a touch of heat as they are not as hot as the small lethal chillis that you find, use some finely diced red capsicum/peppers, some hot chillis if you like some added heat, red pepper flakes or just leave them out 🤷🏻‍♀️.
  • Dressing - we have used an Asian-style dressing with sesame oil, soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar and tamari for vegan or coconut aminos for keto.
    You may also use regular rice vinegar or black vinegar but just add a ¼ to ½ teaspoon of sugar to the recipe to sweeten the dressing a little.
    Sorry, I am not going to give you a quick fix for this - this simple cucumber salad really needs a smashing dressing!
  • Szechuan Peppercorns - not peppercorns at all but dried berries; they are not hot like usual peppers but have a citrusy tang to them that will make your mouth tingle.
    You don't want to replace these with traditional black, white or green peppercorns.
    Leave them out, or use some pink peppercorns instead.
PAI HUNAG GUA INGREDIENTS WITH TEXT
Consider Adding - 
- Some toasted sesame seeds or even some black sesame seeds to add some nutty flavour.
- Some Asian chilli oil to add some heat and a boost of Asian flavours. Or why not make your own homemade chili oil? It's sensational!
- Some crispy fried shallots or crushed peanuts for some satisfying crunch.

How to Make Pai Huang Gua

Why Smash the Cucumbers?

This method of preparing cucumbers is a classic technique used around Asia.

Smashing cucumbers until they burst, cracks their skins, releases the seeds and is a way of allowing your tasty dressing to penetrate every nook and cranny of your cucumber, making them super delicious.

In addition, the different shapes and sizes make for interesting contrasts in texture with every bite.

Step 1 - Smash and Chop the Whole Cucumbers

Wash your cucumbers and pat them dry, then place them on your chopping board. 

LONG TELEGRAPH CUCUMBERS ON WOODEN BOARD WITH ROLLING PIN

Then using something heavy such as a cleaver, a food mallet or a rolling pin, whack the cucumbers.

SMASHING CUCUMBERS ON BOARD WITH ROLLING PIN

Make sure that they just break apart and burst open, this will allow the dressing to penetrate and make them delicious.

SMASHED CUCUMBERS ON WOODEN BOARD

Then cut the cucumber pieces diagonally into small chunks; this way, there is more surface area for your dressing to penetrate.

CUTTING SMASHED CUCUMBERS WITH A KNIFE ON A WOODEN BOARD

Place them in a colander, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon sea salt and toss.

ADD SALT TO SMASHED CUCUMBERS IN A COLANDER

Let the cucumbers stand for 20 minutes. We want to draw out some of the liquid so that they are not too watery.

TOSSING THE CUCUMBERS IN SALT IN A COLANDER

Step 2 - Prep Remaining Ingredients.

In the meantime, wash the chilli, remove the seeds, and then dice finely.

DICING RED CHILLI ON A WOODEN BOARD WITH RED KNIFE

Wash the coriander/cilantro, shake to remove to excess water, pat dry and roughly chop.

CHOPPED CORIANDER ON WOODEN BOARD WITH KNIFE

Place all dressing ingredients in a glass jar, and shake until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your liking. 

SHAKING DRESSING TO COMBINE

Step 3 - Assemble the Salad

After the 20 minutes have passed drain the liquid from the bashed cucumbers.

DRAINING SALTED CUCUMBERS IN COLANDER WITH PLATE

Pat the cucumbers dry and place them in a large bowl.

PATTING WITH A PAPER TOWEL SMASHED CUCUMBERS DRY

Add the diced chilli and coriander/cilantro to the bowl with the smashed cucumbers, pour over the dressing.

POURING OVER DRESSING TO pai huang gua

Toss your salad well to combine, taste and adjust seasonings according to your preferences.

MIXING pai huang gua SALAD TO COMBINE

Arrange in a salad bowl and keep chilled until ready to serve.

pai huang gua IN A SALAD BOWL

 Serving Suggestions  🥢🥡

I like this Chinese smashed cucumber salad as a side dish to any Asian-inspired meal, such as spicy satay, chilli basil chicken, or any type of curry or some spicy wings.

I also love to serve this at family BBQs alongside grilled meats - it's so tasty and refreshing! It's a real crowd-pleaser and always goes down a treat.

For a quick dinner, just grab some roasted duck or char siu pork from an Asian fast-food shop, and you've got yourself a delicious meal. It pairs really well with both!

People Also Ask

Do I Need to Salt the Cucumbers? 

Yes, as this is an important step as the salt removes the excess water and concentrates the bright cucumber flavour, it makes them crisp and meaty. The salt will dissolve and allows them to take on a slightly pickley flavour.

What Cucumbers Are Good for Smashing? 

The best cucumbers for this salad are either long telegraph/English or Lebanese/Persian cucumbers.

  • Telegraph cucumbers also known as English cucumbers are dark green, long and thin with a hook at one end; they are not as watery inside with a more intense cucumber flavour.
  • Lebanese cucumbers also known as Persian cucumbers are a sweet, short variety with dark green, thin skin and flesh that is crisp and pale with tiny seeds.

Either variety works in this salad!

Can I Peel the Cucumbers?

Personally, I like to leave the skins on while I am smashing them because it keeps everything compact. You can peel alternative strips if you prefer.

Can I Make This Smashed Cucumber Salad Recipe Ahead of Time?

  • If you leave out the garlic to add on the day, the dressing can be made up to a week in advance and kept in a covered container in the fridge.
  • I make this salad several hours in advance and keep it chilled in the fridge until I am ready to serve.
  • The longer you leave it, the more pickley the cucumbers will become and the tastier your salad will be, as the cucumbers would have absorbed all the delicious flavours from the dressing.
  • However, if you want your salad with a bit more crunch, then serve it immediately after making it.

Dietary Information

  • Because we use extra salt to draw out the water in the cucumbers, the sodium count may be a bit higher than you'd expect. But don't worry - most of the salt is thrown out with the water.
  • This salad is suitable for vegan, vegetarian, nut-free and dairy-free eating styles and with a little tweaking, it can be made suitable for all others.
  • For keto/low carb, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Swap the seasoned rice vinegar (it has added sugar) for some regular rice vinegar and add a pinch of a keto sweetener instead.
  • For gluten-free check, the labels on the soy and rice vinegar as some may have unsuitable additives. Use coconut aminos to make it whole30 and paleo-friendly. 

Some More Cucumber Salads to Try:

VEGAN cucUmber with dill and whole grain mustard salad

VEGAN CUCUMBER SALAD

A close up of cucumber strawberry salad in a black bowl in portrait view.

CUCUMBER STRAWBERRy

ITALIAN CUCUMBER SALAD IN A WHITE BOWL WITH FRESH BASIL ON THE SIDE

ITALIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

Recipe Card

Pai Huang Gua salad with chlli, cilantro and szechuan in background with text overlay.

Pai Huang Gua A.K.A. Smashed Cucumber Salad

Ready for a salad workout? Try Pai Huang Gua or Smashed Cucumber Salad, it's made by smashing cucumbers and tossing them with some other Asian faves.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Salting: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
* Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Asian Salad, smashed cucumber salad
Difficulty: Easy
Diet: dairy free, Gluten free, Low Carb, nut free, Vegan, Vegetarian,
Servings: 4 as a side
Calories: 119kcal
Author: Anastasia Papapetros
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Equipment
  • rolling pin or food mallet
Ingredients
For the salad
  • 500 grams Telegraph/English cucumbers 4 medium or 2 long cucumbers, approximately 17.6 ounces or 1 lb
  • ¼ cup coriander/cilantro roughly chopped
  • 1 long red chilli finely diced
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
For the dressing
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons MCT or neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil toasted, this is the dark coloured one not the golden
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ginger freshly grated
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn
Metric - Imperial
Instructions
  • Wash your cucumbers and pat them dry, then place them on your chopping board.
  • Then using something heavy such as food mallet or a rolling pin, whack the cucumbers so that they just burst open.
  • Cut the cucumbers diagonally into small chunks, this way there is more surface area for your dressing to penetrate.
  • Place the cucumbers in a colander sprinkle with ½ teaspoon sea salt and toss, let them stand for 20 minutes. We want to draw out some of the liquid so that the cucumbers are not too watery.
  • Wash the chilli, remove the seeds then dice finely. Wash the coriander/cilantro, shake to remove to excess water, pat dry and roughly chop.
  • Place all dressing ingredients in a glass jar, shake until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your liking.
  • After the 20 minutes have passed drain the liquid from the smashed cucumbers, then pat dry. Place them in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the diced chilli and coriander/cilantro, pour over the dressing then toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your preferences.
  • Arrange in a salad bowl and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Video

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 546mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @salads_with_anastasia or tag #salads_with_anastasia!
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About Anastasia Papapetros

Anastasia has been passionate about cooking since she was eight years old, and hasn't left the kitchen since! With over a decade of experience running her own coffee shop and catering business, Anastasia has developed a true love for salads - especially for family get-togethers and friends' functions. She's the go-to for bringing the perfect salad to any occasion!

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