Japanese Vinegared Cucumber
This is a refreshing and simple recipe for the ubiquitous Japanese side dish that seems to go well with anything. The sanbaizu, or “three flavors vinegar” dressing, is a delicate balance between sweet, sour, and salty but doesn’t overwhelm the clean and mild flavors of cucumber.
Salad Spinnin’ hosted by Joelen
recipe adapted from Shizuo Tsuji’s Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art
Vinegared Cucumber
きゅうりの酢もみ (Kyuri no Sumomi)
Cucumbers, in paper-thin slices
salt, to taste
Notes:
- I tried to bring out my inner Morimoto but uniformly slicing cucumber into paper thin slices is more difficult than it seems. My trusty Benriner Mandoline will have to do for now.
Season the cucumber slices and knead lightly for a minute. Let stand in a bowl while preparing the sanbaizu.
Three Flavors Vinegar Dressing
三杯酢 (Sanbaizu)
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup dashi
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
Notes:
- If you plan to cook Japanese dishes frequently, consider getting instant dashi at your local Asian grocery store. A teaspoon of this granulated bonito flake and kombu seasoning will be enough to make 3 to 4 cups of fully flavored stock in minutes. Instant dashi is also known as dashi-no-moto or hon-dashi.
Combine all the sanbaizu ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer while mixing. Once the sugar is dissolved, cool the dressing rapidly by pouring into a bowl set in a larger bowl filled with ice water.
To Serve:
Drain the cucumbers. Pour enough sanbaizu to moisten the cucumber slices. Gently squeeze and drain a second time to eliminate excess wateriness. Serve at room temperature and add more sanbaizu if desired.
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June 25th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
I love this dish. I order it almost every time I go to a Japanese restaurant… I’ve never made it though. Thanks for the recipe – I’ll definitely try it soon
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:38 am
Gorgeous, clean flavors for summer. Cucumber is always so cooling and virtually calorie free. Your dressing moves this recipe from side dish to the center of the plate. Love the simplicity and elegance.
July 4th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
you made me drool again! simple as it is and perfect for what i crave for now! i’ll have to go get that dashi-no-moto! arigato!happy bbq-full 4th!
July 6th, 2008 at 1:25 am
How beautiful cucumbers can be. When they’re thinly sliced like that, and in a simple dressing, they can be perfect.
July 18th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Wow – that sounds delicious. I have an abundance of cucumbers this summer, and am endeavoring to be creative with them. I will have to add this to the list!
last blog post: Indian Feast: Chicken Curry Over Cucumber & Turmeric Rice
May 26th, 2009 at 5:29 am
Another take on this is what we call ’sunomono’ which means vinegared pickles. After setting the cucumbers in salt, mix together vinegar, sugar and soy sauce (I can’t remember the exact measurements, but I can check later), and pour it on. Cut up some wakame and throw that in. Mix it all together and you’re done! The sauce is really yummy, too, so we usually pour it on top.
June 8th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Laura, Sounds interesting. Do you need to let it sit for a while or is it ready to serve immediately after mixing?
August 27th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
yummy post!
June 8th, 2010 at 10:34 am
This is a good summary, I was wondering if I could use this post on my website, I will link it back to your website though. If this is a problem please let me know and I will take it down right away.