Kyuri Sunomono

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 6 mini cucumbers or 1/2 snake cucumber
• Sea salt
• 1 tsp wakame
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar (Mizkan)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp dashi or water
• 1 tsp sugar
• some sesame
• ½ tsp fresh ginger

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 5 minutes; Total time approx. 25 minutes

Seaweed and cucumber salad

Wash the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. For mini cucumbers, you can leave the insides intact. For large cucumbers, I remove the core with a teaspoon to prevent the salad from becoming watery. Cut the halves into wafer-thin slices or grate them finely. Toss the cucumber with the salt, massage in the salt, and let stand for about 10 minutes. Place the wakame in a bowl and add a little water. This will give it about 4-5 times its dry volume. In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, dashi or water, and sugar over high heat. Bring to a boil briefly. Immediately reduce the heat until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Drain the cucumber water and wakame, squeeze dry in a kitchen towel, and place together in a bowl. Just before serving, toss the cucumber with the dressing, lukewarm or cold, divide into portions, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve quickly. Optionally, sprinkle a few grated ginger pieces sparingly over each salad. Tip: This delicious salad pairs perfectly with anything Asian, such as sushi, gyoza, spring rolls, miso soup, or even grilled food.