Crunchy Korean-Style Cucumber

📝 Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers (about 350 g each)
• 1 tsp fine salt (for drawing out the water)
• 30 g gochujang (about 1 ½ tbsp)
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds (1 to mix in, 1 to serve)
• 1 spring onion

🍴 Utensils

• Chopping board
• Rolling pin
• Kitchen knife
• Colander
• Mixing bowl
• Small frying pan

📖 Steps

1. Wash the cucumbers, trim the ends and lay them on a board. Smash them by pressing firmly with a rolling pin (or the flat of a large knife) until they split along their whole length, without turning them to mush.
2. Cut the split cucumbers into irregular 3 to 4 cm chunks, following the cracks: these broken edges hold the sauce far better than a clean cut. Scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon if they're large and very watery.
3. Put the pieces in a colander set over a bowl, sprinkle with the salt and toss. Leave for 15 minutes at room temperature: the salt draws out the water, which makes the cucumber crunchier and stops the sauce getting watery.
4. Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds for 2 to 3 minutes in a small dry frying pan over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and nutty-smelling. Tip them straight onto a plate so they don't burn.
5. Empty and wipe the bowl. In it, mix the gochujang, chilli flakes, very finely chopped garlic, rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil until you have a smooth sauce. Finely slice the spring onion.
6. Gently squeeze the cucumbers between your hands to remove the remaining water, without rinsing them: they're salty enough already. Quickly pat them dry with kitchen paper, then add them to the sauce.
7. Toss with two spoons, or with gloved hands if your skin is sensitive to chilli, so every piece is well coated. Add the spring onion and half the sesame seeds, then toss again.
8. Chill for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the rest of the sesame. Serve well chilled, ideally within the hour: after that, the cucumber keeps releasing water and loses some of its crunch.