Sunomono (酢の物) — Japanese Vinegared Cucumber and Wakame Salad

• 4Japanese cucumbers (about 600 g total, thin-skinned preferred)
• 6 gfine sea salt (for drawing moisture from the cucumbers)
• 8 gdried cut wakame
• ½ cuprice vinegar
• 24 ggranulated sugar
• ½ inchfresh ginger (peeled and finely grated)
• 6 gtoasted white sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the dried wakame in a bowl and cover it with 500 ml cold water. Let it soak for 8 to 10 minutes, until fully expanded and tender, then drain it well and gently squeeze out excess water.

2. 2

   Trim the cucumber ends and slice the cucumbers into very thin rounds, ideally 2 mm thick. Put the slices in a bowl, sprinkle with 6 g fine sea salt, toss evenly, and let them stand for 10 minutes so the salt draws out excess water.

3. 3

   Rinse the salted cucumber slices briefly under cold running water to remove surface salt. Gather them in your hands and squeeze firmly but gently until they feel crisp rather than watery, because this step keeps the finished sunomono bright and not diluted.

4. 4

   In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, 2 g fine sea salt, and grated ginger until the sugar is completely dissolved. Taste the dressing before adding the vegetables; it should be cleanly tart with enough sweetness to round the vinegar.

5. 5

   Add the squeezed cucumber and drained wakame to the dressing and toss carefully with chopsticks or tongs. Let the salad rest for 5 minutes at room temperature so the cucumber and seaweed absorb the seasoning without losing their texture.

6. 6

   Transfer the sunomono to small individual bowls, spooning a little dressing over each portion. Sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds just before serving so they keep their aroma and slight crunch.