Tossed with wakame seaweed and imitation crab meat, this sweet and tangy Japanese Cucumber Salad goes well with any Japanese-style meal. Make this refreshing side dish for your next potluck or dinner party. It will be a big hit!
5 min
Serves
4
Easy
Asian
Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers (or use 2/3 English cucumber) 2/3
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- 4 real or imitation crabmeat (skip for vegan/vegetarian; I used imitation crabmeat since I‘m allergic to crab)
- toasted white sesame seeds (optional)
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp dashi (Japanese soup stock) (use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi)
Preparation
Not specified
Cooking
- If you are using Japanese cucumber, this step called itazuri is necessary.
- Wash 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers and sprinkle them with Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- With both hands, rub the cucumber against the cutting board.
- It removes the pointy bumps on the cucumber and helps absorb the dressing.
- Alternate peeling ½-inch (1.3-cm) strips of skin lengthwise and leaving strips of skin intact.
- With this striped pattern, the cucumber slices have some decorative dark green accents and a little bit of extra crunchiness.
- Cut the cucumbers into thin slices, about ⅛-inch (3 mm) thickness (or even thinner).
- Sprinkle with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and rub the cucumber slices gently with your hands.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes or so until they are wilted.
- Then, quickly rinse the cucumber slices under cold water.
- Squeeze the cucumber to get rid of the water.
- Put 1 Tbsp dried wakame seaweed in a small bowl and soak in water for 10 minutes to rehydrate.
- Squeeze dry to get rid of the water.
- Cut 4 real or imitation crabmeat sticks in half and shred it with your hands.
- In a small saucepan, combine the dressing ingredients: 3 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 1 Tbsp sugar, ½ Tbsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp dashi (Japanese soup stock).
- Mix well.
- Then, heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, wakame, and shredded crab sticks.
- Pour the dressing on top and mix together.
- Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds and enjoy the salad at room temperature or chilled.
- To Store.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for a day.
- However, the crispness of the cucumbers will be lost and the seasoning may become diluted due to moisture released from the cucumber.
Plating & Serving
Not specified
Suggested Sides
Recipe Details