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Sunomono
酢の物: thinly sliced cucumber and wakame in a sweet rice-vinegar dressing
Sunomono (酢の物, 'vinegared things') are small, refreshing dishes served alongside rice and richer food in homes all over Japan. This one, kyūri to wakame no sunomono, is the most common: paper-thin salted cucumber and wakame seaweed in a sweet, gentle rice-vinegar dressing. It cuts through fried food like tempura or gyoza. Ready in ten minutes, and best eaten chilled. Chef's tip: salt the cucumber and squeeze it hard. It draws out the water so the slices turn pleasantly crunchy and drink up the dressing instead of diluting it.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Slice 1 cucumber as thinly as you can, about 2 mm, with a sharp knife or mandoline.
Step 2: Toss with ½ tsp salt and leave for 5 minutes, until it softens and releases water. Squeeze firmly in your hands to remove the liquid. This keeps the salad crisp and stops it watering down the dressing.
Step 3: Meanwhile soak 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed in cold water for 5 minutes, until it swells. Drain and squeeze dry, then chop roughly if the pieces are large.
Step 4: Stir 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp soy sauce together until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 5: Toss the cucumber and wakame with the dressing. Taste: it should be gently sour and slightly sweet, with no sharp vinegar bite; add a pinch more sugar if needed. Chill for 10 minutes if you have time, then pile into small bowls and top with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and ½ tsp ginger.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 50 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sunomono take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of cucumber?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
- What can I use instead of rice vinegar?
- Cider vinegar with a pinch of sugar, same amount.
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