Smashed Cucumber Chicken Salad

Cucumbers are one of my favorite foods of all, and my son hates them.  So everything I make cucumber is not eaten by him.  Anyway, this was a great weeknight dinner - super simple.  It was supposed to be last night's din din except I had a bad tumble on some concrete so was not able to prepare it, but was good enough to make it tonight...

• 2 long English cucumbers
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon Chinese (Chinkiang) black vinegar  (I love this stuff!)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced on microplane
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• Toasted sesame seeds, to taste
• Shichimi Togarashi, to taste
• Fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste
• Pulled chicken, to taste
• 2 lime wedges, for garnish

I had 2 cukes that I washed well after removing the plastic wrap.  I sliced off the ends.  I shaved strips of peel off.

I cut each cucumber crosswise into 2 equal sized pieces.  I put these in a large Ziploc bag and sealed.  I used a mallet to smash them - gently, into spears.  I used restraint, haha.  I did this until they were flat.

I removed from Ziploc and cut them into one inch pieces.  

I put them into a colander sitting in the sink and salted, then tossed.  I let them sit for 15 minutes.  I rinsed and then patted the cucumbers dry with a clean dishtowel.  I pulled some meat from a chicken I bought at Costco.  I probably used 2 cups?  

In the meantime, I whisked up all the remaining ingredients except the sesame seeds.

I tossed everything together and then sprinkled with the sesame seeds.

I let sit in the fridge for a half hour.  I garnished with the lime and then I served.

If you like cucumbers, then it would be impossible not to like this.  For me the chicken was not necessary but I put it in for the protein factor.  The Asian flavors zipped up the taste.  I would do this again and would experiment with the flavors, textures and seasonings - oh, the possibilities...