My Chinese Recipe Menu
- How I Feel About This Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Story Behind the Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Original Name
- Cooking Tips
- Cooking Time
- Ingredients to Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Food
- Seasonings
- How to Make Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Preparation
- Cooking
How I Feel About This Chinese Cucumber Salad
It's sour, salty, spicy and sweet mixed with cucumber light and fresh tastes. My parents like this dish as well. My mum doesn't like spicy food but this cucumber salad works well for her. Basically, cucumber salad is ideal for summer appetizer. Sometimes, we even eat the raw cucumber and the taste is fresh and nice. We also use a juicing machine to make cucumber juice. It's common to have this fresh drink in a restaurant.
Story Behind the Chinese Cucumber Salad
It is said that Chinese cucumber salad originated in the Ming Dynasty when it was invented by a eunuch named "Yang Lian". Yang Lian was a gourmet during the Ming Dynasty. He loved studying food and promoting his innovative food to others.
It is said that one day while touring various places, Yang Lian came to a remote village. At that time, he felt very thirsty and saw that the local villagers were eating cold cucumber salad. Yang Lian was very curious, so he asked the villagers how to make this cold cucumber, and learned this recipe.
After returning to the palace, Yang Lian recommended the recipe of cucumber salad to other officials and nobles, and it soon became widely popular. Over time, cucumber salad gradually became one of the traditional Chinese dishes, and different regions have different methods and flavors.
Original Name
- Translated English Name: Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Original Chinese Pronunciation: Liang Ban Huang Gua 凉拌黄瓜
Note: You may use the Chinese name to order in China because the translated English name of the dishes might be different in every restaurant.
Cooking Tips
- Two kinds of oil are needed so make sure not to mix them
- Be careful when heating the oil. No water in a pan.
Cooking Time
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Ingredients to Make Chinese Cucumber Salad
Serving: 2
Food
Cucumber — 2 pieces
Green Onion — 2 tablespoons
Toasted Sesame Seeds — 1 tablespoon
Garlic — 5 cloves
Optional
Toasted Peanuts - 10g/0.35oz
Coriander - 2 pieces
Seasonings
Chili Powder - 1 tablespoon
Light Soy Sauce — 3 tablespoons
Chinese Black Vinegar — 2 tablespoons
Sugar — 1 tablespoon
Salt — 1 teaspoon
Sesame Oil — 1 tablespoon
Oil — 3 tablespoons
How to Make Chinese Cucumber Salad
Preparation
1. Wash and smash the cucumbers with knife. Then cut cucumbers into pieces.
2. Smash and cut the garlic and green onion.
Cooking
1. Make the sauce for the Chinese Cucumber Salad. Put 2 tablespoons of green onion, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds and garlic into a plate.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil and spray the hot oil onto the ingredients of cucumber salad on the plate.
3. Add more sauces to the plate including 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of Chinese black vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
4. Add cut cucumbers to the plate and mix them together.
5. Add optional ingredients toasted peanuts and coriander if you prepare them. Cucumber salad tastes stronger and better after refrigerated. An ideal cold dish for summer.
