Smacked Cucumber Gyoza Noodle Salad

Smacked Cucumber Gyoza Noodle Salad

This one is properly addictive. We came up with this when we were craving something fresh and zingy but still wanted that satisfying slurpy noodle hit, and honestly it's become one of our go-to weeknight winners. The smacked cucumber brings this incredible crunch and soaks up all those bold flavours, the gyoza go golden and crispy on the outside and pillowy in the middle, and the whole thing comes together in a sauce that's salty, sesame-y, and just a little bit spicy. It's the kind of salad that doesn't feel like a salad at all, which in our book is the highest possible compliment. Make this tonight, seriously.

Cook: 15 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Rolling pin (or flat knife for smashing cucumber)
  • Small bowl (for dressing)
  • Large bowl (for assembling salad)
  • Frying pan with lid

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 10 - vegan gyoza dumplings
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 1 carrot
  • 3 spring onions
  • 6 radishes
  • 200g soba noodles
  • 5 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 lime
  • 5g fresh coriander
  • 1 tbsp chilli oil

Method

1

Cook the gyoza

  • Heat a frying pan over a medium heat with the vegetable oil
  • Place the gyoza, flat side down and cook until golden and crispy, then turn over to colour the other side
  • Add 2 tbsp of water to the pan and cover with a lid to steam the gyoza for 2 minutes
  • Transfer to a plate
2

Soak the noodles

  • Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the noodles according to packet instructions
  • Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water to separate
3

Prep the veg

  • Place the cucumber on a cutting board and smash it using the flat side of a knife or a rolling pin until it breaks into uneven pieces
  • Peel the carrot into ribbons
  • Finely slice the spring onion
  • Slice the radish
  • Pick the coriander leaves
  • Juice half the lime and slice the rest into wedges
4

Make the dressing

  • In a small bowl, mix the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and juice of half the lime
5

Assemble the salad

  • Place the noodles, cucumber, carrot, spring onion and coriander in a large bowl and pour over the dressing, mixing everything to coat
  • Divide between bowls and top with the gyoza
  • Drizzle over the chilli oil and serve with the extra lime wedges

Tips & Variations

  • Smack properly: Don't be shy with the cucumber. Give it a proper bash with a rolling pin or the flat of a knife until it cracks open. That's what makes this dish work, so don't skip it.
  • Get the gyoza golden: Make sure your pan is properly hot before the gyoza go in. You want that golden crispy base before you add the water to steam, otherwise they'll just go soggy and a bit sad.
  • Make the dressing your own: We love this with a good hit of chilli oil drizzled over at the end. Ian always goes heavier on the sesame and Henry usually sneaks in a bit more rice vinegar for extra zing, so taste and adjust until it's exactly how you like it.

Why This Works

The trick is in the smacking. When you bash the cucumber it breaks down the fibres and creates all these nooks and crannies that soak up the dressing way better than if you'd just sliced it. That means every mouthful is properly flavoured rather than just dressed on the outside. The combination of crispy pan-fried gyoza with cold noodles is also a total texture dream, and trust us on this one, it works so much better than it sounds.