This refreshing cucumber salad uses dried wakame that’s rehydrated in water. The tender, slightly salty seaweed strikes a delicious balance with crisp cucumbers and sesame seeds. Sunomono can be eaten as a palate cleanser or enjoyed on its own. 

Sunomono

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 small Japanese or Persian cucumbers, sliced very thin
• 2-3 tablespoons dried wakame seaweed, rehydrated in 1-2 cups of water
• Dressing:
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1-2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice (optional)

METHOD:

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
2.  Place the dried wakame seaweed in a medium size bowl and rehydrate in water according to package instructions. Once rehydrated, drain and set aside.
3. In another bowl, place the thinly sliced cucumber and generously sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 10 minutes. The salt will release the moisture from the cucumber. Rinse the cucumber in water to remove the salt. Using a tea cloth or a few paper towels, squeeze the water out of the cucumber.
4. Mix the cucumber and wakame together in a bowl.
5. Spoon a small amount of dressing over each serving (1-2 tablespoons should do it).

NOTE: Japanese cucumbers are similiar to English cucumbers. They are, long, narrow and have a 'bumpy' forest green exterior. They were bred to be "burpless" and tend to be much less bitter than some types of cucumbers. Japanese cucumbers do not contain any developed seeds and they are never bitter.