YOU NEED TO 3X THIS MEAL TO MAKE 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
Salad
24 ounces (680g) cucumbers* (Persian, Japanese, Korean, or English cucumbers)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 scallions, sliced on a bias
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted or roasted
Dressing
2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chile paste) (substitute Thai red chile paste tastes great)
½ tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes) (substitute regular red pepper flakes tastes great)
1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons agave nectar or organic cane sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed with a press
INSTRUCTIONS
Smash the cucumbers. Wash and dry the cucumbers and slice off the ends. Slice in half lengthwise. Grab your largest, heaviest knife (if you have a cleaver knife, use it) and smash the cukes by pressing the flat side of a heavy knife against them, using the heel of your palm (right above your wrist) to press down, similar to smashing down on a garlic clove to peel it.
NOTE: If using large cucumbers like English cucumbers, it's hard to smash them whole. First, chop the cucumbers into 2- to 3-inch segments, then smash them.
Salt the cucumbers. Tear the smashed cukes into bite-sized chunks and transfer to a colander fitted over a bowl or in the sink. Sprinkle the cucumbers with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and use your hands to toss until well coated.
Place a resealable bag filled with ice and cold water (or a bag of frozen peas) on top of the cucumbers to weigh them down—this forces more water out.
Rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or or up to 4 hours. Discard accumulated water and shake off excess water from the cucumbers. *NOTE: I do this for like 15-20 min (not in the fridge) and it's just as good
Meanwhile, thinly slice the shallot. Slice the scallions on a hard bias, separating the dark greens for the garnish.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the gochujang, gochugaru, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and garlic until well combined.
After the cucumbers have rested, squeeze a handful of them until no water is dripping out, like you would a washcloth. Repeat with remaining cucumbers. Alternatively, you can run the cucumbers in a salad spinner afterwards. NOTE I USE A cheese cloth to squeeze out juice and it works great.
Assemble. Add the cucumbers, scallion whites/light greens, and shallots to the dressing. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the cukes for about a minute. Before serving, add the sesame seeds and scallion greens and toss gently.