Description
Sichuan smacked cucumber noodles are a refreshing and spicy cold noodle dish combining crunchy, smashed cucumbers with tender rice noodles, tossed in a flavorful sauce made from tahini, soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, and chili flakes. This light and easy-to-make recipe is perfect as a quick lunch or appetizer with a balance of cooling cucumber and bold, numbing spice.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 cucumber
- 10g coriander, roughly chopped
Noodles
- 100g rice noodles
Sauce
- 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed and toasted
- ½ tsp chili flakes, plus extra to serve (optional)
- Pinch of caster sugar
- Salt (for salting cucumbers)
Instructions
- Smack and prep cucumbers: Using a rolling pin or heavy frying pan, lightly smash the cucumber all over until it splits. Then, scrape out the seeds and cut the cucumber into chunks. Place the pieces in a sieve, sprinkle generously with salt, and set the sieve over a bowl to drain excess liquid for about 15 minutes.
- Prepare rice noodles: Soak the rice noodles in boiling water until tender, about 4–6 minutes depending on noodle thickness. Rinse the noodles thoroughly under cold water to stop cooking and set aside to drain.
- Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, tahini, rice wine vinegar, toasted and crushed Sichuan peppercorns, chili flakes, and caster sugar until well combined and smooth.
- Combine cucumber and dressing: Rinse the salted cucumbers well under cold water to remove excess salt and drain. Add the cucumbers, chopped coriander, and noodles into the dressing bowl.
- Toss and serve: Mix everything thoroughly to ensure the cucumbers and noodles are evenly coated with the spicy tahini dressing. Divide between two bowls and garnish with additional chili flakes if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Smacking the cucumber helps release flavors and improves texture by breaking the flesh and speeding up liquid drainage.
- To toast Sichuan peppercorns, dry fry them in a pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes, then crush using a mortar and pestle for maximum flavor.
- Adjust chili flakes to taste depending on preferred spice level.
- This dish is best served immediately but can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
- Using low-sodium soy sauce helps keep sodium levels in check without compromising flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Category: Noodles
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Sichuan, Chinese
Keywords: Sichuan cucumber noodles, smacked cucumber, spicy tahini noodle salad, cold noodle recipe, Chinese vegetarian noodles
