Natsu Japanese Cucumber Sunomono

In Japan, dishes are often kept simple as a means to highlight the natural beauty of the seasonal produce. Sunomono (酢の物) is no exception – using the highest quality cucumbers such as the Oishii Nippon Natsu cucumber, you can create this simple yet refreshing Sunomono or cucumber salad. 

The 酢 or "su" in Sunomono means vinegar in Japanese, which is the base seasoning for this dish. Here is what you will need to make your own Sunomono:

Prep time: 25 minutes 

Assembly: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• ¼ cup of unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp of soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt 

Salad ingredients:

• 3 Natsu cucumbers (~8-9" long)
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1 tbsp of toasted Sesame - half for salad and half for garnish
• 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil (optional)
• ¼ cup of dried wakame re-hydrated (optional)

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small sauce pot, and heat on medium heat just until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool while working on the cucumber portion. 

For the salad, slice the cucumber into thin ¼ of an inch thick rounds, ideally using a mandolin. Peeling is optional due to the thin and crispy skin of the Natsu cucumber. Toss the rounds evenly with the salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes. If using wakame, allow it to soak in water during this time. 

To finish the salad, gently squeeze out the excess moisture from the cucumbers and wakame and place in a medium mixing bowl along with the half of the sesame seeds, dressing, and the optional sesame oil, then mix. Garnish with remaining sesame seeds to complete the dish!