Description
Delicious Sunomono is a quick and refreshing Japanese cucumber salad that combines crisp cucumbers with a tangy and slightly sweet dressing made from rice wine vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce, finished with toasted sesame seeds for a delightful crunch. Perfect as a light appetizer or side dish, this salad captures the essence of traditional Japanese flavors in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Cucumber
- 1 large Japanese cucumber
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Dressing
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Slice the cucumber: Thinly slice the Japanese cucumber evenly and place the slices into a mixing bowl to prepare for salting.
- Salt the cucumber: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sea salt over the cucumber slices and let them sit undisturbed for about 10 minutes. This draws out excess moisture to enhance texture and flavor.
- Prepare the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and toasted sesame seeds until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are well combined.
- Drain cucumbers: After salting, drain any liquid released from the cucumbers to avoid a watery salad.
- Combine and toss: Add the drained cucumbers to the dressing and gently toss until every slice is coated evenly with the flavorful mixture.
- Serve: Serve the sunomono immediately for a fresh taste or chill it in the refrigerator before serving to allow flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- Use a Japanese cucumber if possible for best texture; English cucumbers may be a suitable substitute.
- Chilling the salad for 15-30 minutes enhances the flavor absorption.
- You can sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds on top before serving for extra crunch.
- Reduce sugar or soy sauce for lower sugar or sodium preferences.
- This salad is best eaten fresh and does not store well for long periods.
