How I Developed This Recipe
Smashed cucumber is a dish that comes from Sichuan, China, where they love their spices. In Japan, it’s called “Takaki-kyuri (たたききゅうり),” and you’ll find it on the menus of izakayas all over Japan, it’s also a popular side dish at yakiniku restaurants like Gyukaku.
Since we’re talking about izakaya here (you know, those cozy Japanese pubs), I really wanted to create an addictive quality that keeps you reaching for more between sips of your favorite drink. And I did!
Here’s the best part: this appetizer is ready in under 5 minutes. It’s perfect for those lazy weekend evenings when you’re craving something that hits just right.
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Cucumbers: I used two Japanese cucumbers, but English or Persian varieties work fine too. The thin-skinned varieties are what you’re after since they’ll soak up all that flavor we’re building.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: It’s an important ingredient that makes this dish so addictive. That deep, nutty aroma is a must.
- Miso Paste: I manually mixed a 50-50 mix of red and white miso because I had them on hand, but yellow miso (awase miso) also works perfectly.
- Chili Bean Sauce: We’re talking about Toban Djan here—that Szechuan condiment that brings the heat. If you don’t have it, Gochujang is a solid alternative.
- Other Ingredients: You’ll need soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), sugar (I use fine light brown cane sugar), and Asian-style chicken bouillon powder. If you want, you can sprinkle on sesame seeds and chili flakes at the end to make it even better.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Pirikara Tataki Kyuri at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Put all the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Be extra careful when adding the miso paste, using the back of your spoon or whisk to blend it against the side of the bowl until it’s totally smooth.
First, trim the ends off the cucumber. Now for the fun part: grab your rolling pin (or hey, a sturdy beer mug works just fine) and give that cucumber a thorough beating.
You’re looking for that sweet spot between gentle taps and hulk smash — enough force to create cracks through the cucumber without turning it to mush. Those cracks are essential flavor pockets that’ll soak up all that savory goodness.
Use your hands to tear the cracked cucumber into rough, large bite-sized pieces. The irregular edges created by hand-tearing do a better job of grabbing onto the sauce than clean knife cuts.
Toss the pieces into your sauce bowl and give everything a good mix until each piece is well-coated.
If you’re serving it right away, go ahead and sprinkle some chili threads (or flakes) and sesame seeds on top.
But if you’ve got some extra time, cover it and pop it in the fridge.
The longer it marinates, the more the flavors will blend together. This makes it a great option for meal prepping — but be warned, you might find yourself sneaking bites straight from the fridge, and I did!
I hope you enjoy this Tataki Kyuri recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
Spicy smashed cucumber (pirika tataki kyuri)
This izakaya-inspired Tataki Kyuri is made with crunchy pieces of smashed cucumber coated in an addictive spicy miso sauce. It’s seriously addictive!
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