♥︎Smashed Asian cucumber salad

For ➍ 
2 seedless cucumbers (about 600 g) 
1 ts salt 
2½ ts sugar 
2 ts sesame oil 
3 ts light soy sauce 
1½ tbs rice vinegar 
2-4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped) 
1-2 ts chili oil (optional)* 
2 ts toasted sesame seeds 
a small handful of chopped coriander 

Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean towel. 
Make the salad dressing by combining the salt, sugar, sesame oil, light soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Set aside. 
On a cutting board, lay a large knife flat against the cucumber, and smash it lightly with your other hand. The cucumber should crack open and smash into four sections. Repeat along its full length. Once the whole cucumber is completely open (usually into 4 long sectional pieces), cut it at a 45-degree angle into bite-sized pieces. 
In a large bowl, mix the cut cucumber with the prepared dressing, garlic and chili oil. Toss it well. 
Serve, garnished with sesame seeds and coriander. 

*If you prefer to omit the chili oil, heat up 1 tbs of oil in a pan and drizzle it over the cucumber.