Smacked cucumber (Pai huang gua)

Smacked cucumber is a traditional Asian dish that’s especially popular in Tibet as a snack for picnicking. The dish is usually made with a combination of cucumbers, garlic, sesame oil, black vinegar, and soy sauce. The cucumber is peeled and smacked with a rolling pin so that it’s bruised and starting to break apart.

It’s sliced into chunks and mixed with the rest of the ingredients. The ingredients are tossed well and then served on a large plate. The cucumber is smacked because it will absorb the flavors of garlic, oil, vinegar, and soy sauce even better and it will have a more intense flavor.