In case you missed my last post, I've got a bit of an obsession with a certain new restaurant in NYC.
It's really not feasible (or cost-effective) to eat there all the time, so I was struck one evening with the idea to attempt to recreate some of their dishes at home.
When I've had the smashed cucumbers at Mission Chinese, I've always loved them but remarked that they must be so easy to make at home. And indeed they are. I had all of the ingredients in my fridge, and while tahini isn't quite the same as Asian sesame paste, it's a perfectly fine substitute. In fact, I'm fairly certain that my use of sambal isn't quite what MC uses, either, but it works just as well.
Give this a shot while small, crisp cucumbers are still available at the market. They're the perfect side to an MC inspired meal and are equally as good snacked on straight from the fridge. Not that I've done that or anything.
*****
serves 4 as a side dish
vegan and gluten-free
2 medium kirby cucumbers
1 tablespoon tahini paste
1 tablespoon sambal (chile-garlic paste)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt
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If your cucumbers are organic and the skins are thin, leave them on; otherwise, peel the cucumbers. Slice them into 1/2" thick rounds and place them into a large, shallow metal or wood bowl (don't use glass!)
Using a heavy pestle or a cocktail muddler, gently smash the cucumbers. You don't want to pulverize them, just bruise them and break up some of the pieces.
Add the tahini paste, sambal, and toasted sesame oil and toss well to evenly coat all the cucumber pieces. Add salt to taste.
Using a heavy pestle or a cocktail muddler, gently smash the cucumbers. You don't want to pulverize them, just bruise them and break up some of the pieces.
Add the tahini paste, sambal, and toasted sesame oil and toss well to evenly coat all the cucumber pieces. Add salt to taste.
