If desired, smashed cucumbers can be served with thinly sliced roast or baked beef or shrimp, or topped with toasted hazelnuts or cashews. The marinade sauce itself, made with rice vinegar, is a versatile dressing for almost any vegetable salad. It is so versatile that it can also be served on sushi, sashimi and rolls.
1 small red chili pepper
3 to 4 sprigs of coriander plus serving leaves
3 garlic cloves
100ml soya sauce
70ml semi-sweet white wine
50ml sesame oil
30ml rice wine vinegar
4-5g firm medium cucumbers
A pinch of light sesame
Halve the chilli peppers and remove the seeds. Crush the garlic. Finely chop the pepper and coriander.
Mix the ingredients with the soya sauce, wine, oil and vinegar. Leave for at least 1 hour.
Trim off the cucumbers on both sides. Cover with cling film. With the wide side of a heavy knife (blade pointing away and slightly downwards), tap the vegetables with your hand to crack and flatten them. Remove the foil. Slice into edible slices.
Put the cucumbers into a bowl and pour the sauce over them. Stir. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds and garnished with coriander.