The Hirshon Sichuan Ma La Cucumbers – 拍黄瓜

Citizens, your beloved and always-beatific leader – the inestimable TFD! – would like to share with you today a classic appetizer of Chinese cuisine!

This special recipe of Sichuan province is a home-cooked cold dish, the main ingredient being of course cucumber, mixed with various seasonings. Cool and refreshing, this dish is eminently suitable for summer consumption.

According to the Chinese Materia Medica, cucumber is cool, and it can be used to remove heat from the body in summer. It also has the effect of eliminating toxins in the body and the delicious cucumber can also help digestion in summer.

Chinese physicians recommend this dish to some people and forbid it for others. Appropriate people: Most people can eat, especially those who are prone to acne. Constrained people: patients with stomach cold should not eat this dish.

Eating cucumbers has an appetizing effect. In addition to low calories, cucumber can clear away excess heat and detoxify, and its dietary fiber has the function of promoting the excretion of toxic substances and lowering cholesterol. The unique propanol acid which inhibits the conversion of sugar into fat in fresh cucumber has the function of losing weight.

Cucumbers are also (again according to Chinese medicine):

1. Anti- tumor : The Cucurbitacin C contained in cucumber has the function of improving the immune function of the human body and is thought to be strongly anti-tumor. In addition, the substance can also treat chronic hepatitis;
2. Anti-aging: Cucumber is rich in vitamin E, which can play a role in prolonging life and anti-aging. The cucumber enzyme in cucumber has strong biological activity and can effectively promote the metabolism of the body. Rubbing the skin with cucumber juice has the effect of moisturizing and stretching wrinkles;
3. Anti-alcoholism: Alanine, arginine and glutamine contained in cucumber have certain auxiliary therapeutic effects on liver patients, especially those with alcoholic cirrhosis, and can prevent alcoholism;
4. Hypoglycemia: Glucosamine and fructose contained in cucumbers do not participate in the usual sugar metabolism. Therefore, diabetics and cucumbers can eat them and their blood sugar will not increase or even decrease;
5. Weight loss: The propanol acid contained in cucumber can inhibit the conversion of sugar into fat. In addition, the cellulose in cucumber has a certain effect on promoting the elimination of spoilage substances in the human intestinal tract and lowering cholesterol, and can strengthen the body;
6. Brain and soothe the nerves: Cucumber is rich in B vitamins, which is beneficial to the improvement of brain and divine system functions. It can calm down and help to treat insomnia

Originally learned from a recipe in Fuchsia Dunlop’s Every Grain of Rice, I have substantially modified the recipe to my liking. The key is to flash-wok the cucumbers in a chili-and-Sichuan-pepper oil just long enough that they absorb the flavors but don’t actually cook, a process called qiang.

, this is a magnificent dish in the heat of the Summer, and you can purchase most of the ingredients for this dish from my favorite Sichuan condiment purveyor – The Mala Market.

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Sichuan Ma La Cucumbers – 拍黄瓜

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Ingredients

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• 1 long English Cucumber
• Peanut oil
• 1/2 tbsp. 3 year aged Pixian doubangjang
• 1/2 tbsp. combined mashed fermented black beans and mashed garlic (equal quantities of each)
• 3 Facing Heaven Chiles
• 1 tsp. red Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 small handful roughly-chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. top-quality soy sauce
• 1 tsp. top-quality sesame oil (TFD prefers Kadoya brand)
• 1/2 tsp. sweetened Chinese black vinegar (TFD prefers Koon Chun brand)

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Instructions

1. Qiang Huang Gua – Cut one long, English cucumber in half vertically, scoop out the seeds, and cut into batons about 3 inches long and ¼ to ½ inch wide. Salt generously and leave to drain in a colander for 30 minutes or so.
2. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a hot wok and immediately add facing heaven chilies and red Sichuan peppercorns.
3. Stir-fry the spices until they are just starting to darken, then add black bean/garlic paste and Pixian paste, stir-fry one minute.
4. Add cucumber and stir-fry briefly so that all cucumbers are exposed to hot oil. Add 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, soy sauce and vinegar plus chopped Cilantro. Mix well, and plate. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
5. Snip chilies in half and retain seeds for heat, or leave seeds out for a milder dish.
6. If using Mala Market Sichuan pepper, 1 teaspoon should be plenty; if using less potent peppercorns, you may need more

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Nutrition

• Calories: 56.82 kcal
• Sugar: 3.2 g
• Sodium: 120.66 mg
• Fat: 3.09 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
• Trans Fat: 0.0 g
• Carbohydrates: 7.13 g
• Fiber: 1.22 g
• Protein: 1.57 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg