Prepare the Cucumbers: Wash and dry the cucumbers thoroughly. You can peel them completely, partially in stripes for a nice visual effect, or leave the skin on for extra texture. I like to leave it on. Lay one cucumber on a sturdy chopping board. Place the flat side of a large chef's knife on top of the cucumber and give it a firm but gentle whack with the heel of your other hand. The cucumber should split and crack open. Continue this along the length of the cucumber.

Chop and Salt: Once smashed, roughly chop the cucumber into bite-sized, irregular pieces (about 2-3 cm). Place the pieces in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and toss gently to coat. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. The salt will draw out excess water, which is the secret to a crunchy, not soggy, salad.

Make the Dressing: While the cucumbers are salting, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sugar, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Continue whisking until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Rinse and Dry: After 15-20 minutes, you’ll see a significant amount of water in the bowl beneath the colander. Briefly rinse the cucumbers under cold water to remove the excess salt. This step is important, otherwise your salad will be too salty. Pat them thoroughly dry with a clean tea towel or paper towels. What works best for me is to gently squeeze them in a tea towel to get as much moisture out as possible.

Combine and Marinate: Transfer the dry cucumber pieces to a medium-sized serving bowl. Pour the prepared dressing over the top and add most of the toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions, reserving a little for garnish. Toss everything together until the cucumbers are well-coated.

Serve: For the best flavour, let the salad marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. This gives the cucumbers a chance to absorb the dressing. Garnish with the remaining sesame seeds and spring onion just before placing it on the table.