Cut the ends off the cucumbers and using the palms of your hands and some body weight, press straight down and crush the cucumbers so they flatten out.
Using a chef’s knife, roughly chop each cucumber in an alternating angle format.
Leaving any excess liquid on the cutting board, place all of the smashed and chopped pieces in a large mixing bowl.
Add a few big pinches of flaky sea salt and set aside.
If your sesame seeds aren’t already toasted, put them into a dry pan over medium heat and toss for a couple of minutes until golden brown. Immediately remove them from the pan to stop them from cooking. Set aside.
Drain the water from the resting cucumbers.
Add 1 tbsp black vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, about 1 tsp flaky sea salt, and toss.
Press the garlic into the bowl and toss.
In a separate bowl, mix the soy sauce, chili crisp, and sesame oil. Mix well and then add it to the cucumbers and again mix well.
Give it a taste and adjust by adding a bit more vinegar and/or sugar if needed.
Serve as a side or alone as a great lunch.
I always like to top it with a little more of the chili crisp mixture.
