Serving as a luscious, umami sauce for pan-fried potstickers, peanut sauce yet again proves itself to be the hero of weeknight cooking. The sauce needs no cooking, just some hot water to soften the peanut butter, which also helps the sauce come together smoothly. By design, it is slightly runnier than usual, allowing it to casually drape over the dumplings. Right after whisking, the sauce may look too loose, but let it sit for a few minutes as it relaxes and thickens into the perfect consistency. Frozen potstickers — which have a flat base for pan-frying — work best, but you could use other types of dumpling too, cooking them according to their package instructions. The cucumbers are smashed and then salted, which not only draws out moisture, but also tenderizes them every so slightly, delivering just the right amount of freshness and crunch.
