Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)

Thinly sliced cucumber in a sweet rice vinegar dressing with sesame.

Ingredients

• 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced (mandoline ideal)
• 1 tsp salt
• Dressing: 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil
• Sesame seeds, thinly sliced scallion

Method

1. Salt cucumber slices, let sit 10 min. Squeeze out excess water.

2. Whisk dressing ingredients until sugar dissolves.

3. Toss cucumbers with dressing. Top with sesame seeds and scallion.

What You're Practicing

• Salting and squeezing removes excess water so the dressing isn't diluted.
• This is a staple side dish in Japanese cuisine — refreshing and palate-cleansing.