Smashed Cucumbers With Cumin Tahini Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why should you smash cucumbers? ›

But smashing the cucumbers, as they do in the Sichuan version, breaks up their internal structure in a helpfully haphazard way. This allows the cucumbers to release water faster and results in a better-tasting salad. Here's why it makes such a difference. Smashing exposes more surface area than chopping or slicing.

Thinly sliced and cooked in a hot skillet or wok, cucumbers still maintain some crunch and freshness even when cooked, like in our Sautéed Cucumbers With Green Herbs recipe. Or give sliced cucumbers a quick stir fry with ground beef or sliced steak, it's a perfect pairing.

“Milking the cucumber actually brings out the bitterness leaving the cucumber with a fresh, clean taste,” Perkins explained to TODAY via email. But be prepared to see varying degrees of “milk” coming out of your cucumber, depending on what type it is.

By crushing our cucumber before we cut it, we produce flavors that un-smashed cukes can't. When you crush the cells in a vegetable, as opposed to cutting cleanly through them, certain compounds get mixed together, which can result in a significantly different flavor.

Even though cucumbers are prone to chilling injury, the fridge is still the best place to store them. At room temperature, cucumbers will only last for about two days. So, what's the solution? Store cucumbers in the warmest part of the fridge — towards the front, furthest from the cooling elements.

Cucumbers are often soaked in salt water to remove some of the naturally high water content. Cucumbers will otherwise give up water and dilute the salad dressing. Unpeeled cucumbers are higher in nutritional value as fiber and vitamin A are lost by peeling.

Cucumber water can also offer a tasty alternative to drinks with empty calories, which may aid in weight loss or weight management. The potassium in cucumbers may help with lowering blood pressure. Cucumber water may also help support skin, muscle, and bone health. Learn more about the benefits of cucumber.

But, eating cucumber with meals can cause indigestion for some people because of the compound called cucurbitacin (class of biochemical compounds). Also, cucumbers must always be eaten with its skin on after it is washed thoroughly.”

Can cucumber reduce belly fat? ›

A: Cucumbers alone cannot directly burn belly fat. To reduce belly fat, you must focus on making healthy dietary choices, exercising regularly, and making lifestyle changes. So while cucumbers can help with weight loss, they will not specifically target belly fat.

Freezing cucumbers is the best way to preserve and enjoy them all year round. It's advisable to freeze cucumber slices rather than fresh cucumbers; whole cucumbers become soggy and lose their flavor once you defrost them. Cucumbers can last in the freezer for six to nine months if you prepare them properly.

The smashing process, a classic Chinese technique, cracks the skin, helps release the seeds and splits the flesh into appealing craggy pieces. Salting and chilling the cracked cucumbers give them the perfect cool, crunchy, watery mouth feel.

Rubbing cucumber can lead to the release of a compound called cucurbitacin, which, upon contact with the cucumber's skin, can generate a frothy, white substance. This froth is not harmful and is often a natural reaction caused by the cucumber's protective mechanisms.

"Peeling of the skin may lead to loss of most of its nutrients and health benefits. So to maximise their nutritional benefits they should be consumed unpeeled." says Sandhya. If you are not removing the peel, wash the cucumber thoroughly with running water.

Recipes that call for a seeded cucumber are usually looking for that light fresh taste that comes from the inside of the cucumber. The seeds can also add too much additional moisture to recipes if they're left intact, and the seeds in large, very mature cucumbers are just plain unpleasant to consume.