Cold smashed cucumber

Method

1. 1 Pound the cucumber with the back of a knife until it cracks lengthwise, then break it into pieces; the rough, broken surface will absorb much more sauce than the cut surface.
2. 2 Toss with salt and let drain for 20 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess water.
3. 3 Roast dried chilies with Sichuan peppercorns, then coarsely grind them and pour 200-degree oil over them to make chili oil.
4. 4 Mix chili oil with black vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and sesame oil.
5. 5 Mix the pickles with the sauce and refrigerate for 30 minutes; the refrigeration step is included in the Sichuan version but not in the quick-mix version.