Stir-Fried Cucumbers With Trumpet Mushrooms and Torch Hei Recipe

A blowtorch adds smoky wok hei to this vegetarian stir fry.

By
Tim Chin
Tim Chin
Tim Chin is a professional cook and writer who started contributing to Serious Eats in early 2020. He holds a degree in Classic Pastry Arts at The International Culinary Center.
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Updated November 07, 2023
Overhead view of stir-fried cucumbers with trumpet mushrooms, garnished with sesame seeds and served in a speckled earthenware bowl.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • The high-output flame of a kitchen blowtorch imparts the distinctive smoky aroma and flavor of classic wok hei that is otherwise very difficult to achieve on a Western stovetop.
  • Salting and draining the cucumbers before cooking allows them to sear in a hot wok rather than steaming into mush.
  • Stir-frying the mushrooms over high heat gives them a hard sear, then simmering them in reserved cucumber juices cooks them through and imparts subtle vegetal sweetness.

Cucumbers are an underrated and underutilized ingredient in the stir-fry world. The blazing heat of wok cooking renders them tender, fruity, and juicy, without turning them to mush. Here, we give cucumber an extra layer of flavor with the help of a kitchen blowtorch, which imparts smoky wok hei, an integral component to Chinese stir-fry cooking. This recipe is a great introduction to the benefits of our torch hei hack.

The succulent, flame-licked cucumbers are paired with meaty king trumpet mushrooms, and funky, salty, and spicy fermented bean curd for a vegetarian stir-fry that is simple, but far from basic.

February 2020

Recipe Details

Stir-Fried Cucumbers With Trumpet Mushrooms and Torch Hei Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 10 mins
Active 10 mins
Resting Time 15 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 2 to 3 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 2 English cucumbers (1 pound; 450g)

  • Kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil

  • 10 ounces (280g) king trumpet mushrooms, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

  • 1 garlic clove (5g), minced

  • 1 teaspoon (6g) fermented bean curd in sesame oil (see note)

  • White pepper

  • 1 teaspoon (2g) toasted sesame seeds

Directions

  1. Using a sharp knife, halve cucumbers lengthwise, and scrape out seeds using a spoon; reserve seeds in a small bowl. Halve cucumber pieces lengthwise, and then cut cross-wise into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer cucumbers to a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon (4g) salt, and stir until well coated. Let sit until cucumbers release liquid, about 15 minutes. Drain cucumbers, reserving liquid. Strain accumulated liquid in the small bowl with seeds through a fine-mesh strainer into the bowl with reserved liquid from the cucumbers; discard seeds.

  2. In a wok or large carbon steel skillet, heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil over high heat until smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until browned on most sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add reserved cucumber liquid, cover, and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes. Uncover, return heat to high, and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute longer.

    Collage of adding trumpet mushrooms to a wok, browning them, and then steaming them with the cucumber liquid.

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil and stir in cucumbers. Cook, stirring frequently, until cucumbers begin to brown, about 1 minute. Using blowtorch, hold flame 2 to 3 inches above skillet while stirring constantly, until oil combusts and imparts smoky aroma, about 30 seconds. Stir in garlic and fermented bean curd and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer stir fry to serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

    Collage of adding the cucumber to the wok and then singeing them with a blowtorch.

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Special Equipment

Carbon steel wok or carbon steel skillet, high-output kitchen torch

Notes

Fermented bean curd in sesame oil can be found in Chinese markets or online.

Make-Ahead and Storage

This dish is best enjoyed immediately.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
148Calories
10gFat
13gCarbs
4gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories148
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g13%
Saturated Fat 1g4%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 321mg14%
Total Carbohydrate 13g5%
Dietary Fiber 3g11%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 9mg43%
Calcium 43mg3%
Iron 2mg13%
Potassium 580mg12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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