21. Smashed cucumber (拍黄瓜) salad is one of the most popular cold dishes in China. You can find the green dish anywhere from restaurants to homes. 1.
According to
The New York Times, smashed cucumber salad is "everywhere" in New York. Some restaurants have even added the dish to their menus. 2.
But American cooks are trying yogurt, honey, lemon and other common western ingredients.
Why is this dish becoming so popular? 3.
Smashed cucumbers can hold onto tastes more than cucumbers which are cut into fixed shape and size. "Just changing the way you break down an ingredient... changes the way it feels and tastes. It's cool." said Danny Bowien, a cook at a New York restaurant.
4.
The cook smashes fresh cucumbers with the flat side of a knife. 5.
Then other ingredients can be added. Also, it takes only five minutes to make the salad. Cook Julia Goldberg said it's really "satisfying".
The success of smashed cucumber salad abroad shows that we should try to fit into local conditions when spreading Chinese culture across the world, said
The Beijing News.
A. This Sumner, even Americans are trying it. B. Most people like the special taste it produces. C. The way the dish is prepared also draws people's attention. D. The strong smash makes the cucumbers different shapes and sizes. E. Americans have expressed their opinions on the taste of this salad. F. In China, people use garlic (蒜), vinegar (醋) and oil to make the cucumber tastier. |