Chinese Smashed Cucumber and Beef Salad in Garlic Sauce

Smashed Cucumber in Garlic Sauce and Marinated Beef are two very popular cold side dishes in Chinese cuisine. They are very easy to prepare. I bought super tasty marinated beef from my favourite Peking cuisine restaurant in Guangzhou and wanted to combine these two together.

Actually Smashed Cucumber itself is good enough that there’s no necessary to mix with any meat, just to halve the portion of the seasoning ingredients in the recipe. I am using the take-away marinated beef but I did make Marinated Beef before, please check its recipe. I am making a lot because me and my pal love this dish so much! But actually this recipe can serve 3 to 4 person.

Ingredients –
Cucumber, 2;
Marinated Beef, about 500g;
Garlic, 6 cloves;
Red chili flake, 1tbsp, optional;
Light soy sauce, 2tbsp;
Aged black vinegar, 3tbsp. I was asked if any other vinegar can replace the typical Chinese one. Yes, balsamic would do but it is a bit sweeter so reduce the amount of sugar;
Sugar, 1tsp;
Spring onion, finely chopped, 1 handful;
Toasted sesame seed, a generous pinch.

How to do –
1. Cucumber washed, slightly peeled and dried with kitchen towel;
2. Smash the cucumber on a chopping board with a heavy Chinese kitchen knife and then chop into about 2 inches long chunks. Rolling pin or wooden mallet would do the same. By comparison with sliced cucumber, smashed cucumber has craggy edges and rough surfaces that can be coated with sauce more easily;

3. Slice the cooked marinated beef thinly, about 1 millimeter thick;
4. Put the beef slices and cucumber chunks into a big mixing bowl, add in vinegar, light soy sauce and sugar, place red chili flakes and chopped garlic on top;
5. Hot 3 tbsp of oil in a sauce pan in high heat, when it’s sizzling hot, pour it onto the garlic immediately;
6. Sprinkle chopped spring onion and sesame seed, then mix well;
7, Serve in a plate and keep in fridge for one more day if you couldn’t finish in one go.