Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)

Sweet, tart, and crisp, this cucumber salad is the perfect side dish even when the rest of your meal might not be Japanese. Wakame is a mild seaweed that you often find in Japanese salads and in miso soup. They are sold dried in most Asian markets.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 3 Japanese or 4 Persian cucumbers
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) wakame, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, drained

Directions

1. Slice the cucumbers as thinly, about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick, using a mandoline or a sharp chef’s knife. Transfer to a colander or large sieve over a bowl, and massage in the salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
3. Squeeze the cucumbers of its excess liquid, and transfer to a bowl. Also drain the wakame, and add to the cucumber. Add the dressing along with the sesame seeds and mix well.