Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Vegetables and Seaweed
- 300 g kirby cucumber, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 5 g dried wakame seaweed, dried flakes
- 300 ml water, cool
Sanbaizu Dressing
- 45 ml rice vinegar
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 15 ml water
Garnish
- 5 g toasted white sesame seeds, toasted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 44 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 464 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 140 mg
- Calcium
- 27 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 23 mg
- Phosphorus
- 39 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Water
- 79 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Trim both ends of the Kirby cucumbers on a cutting board using a chef's knife, then slice them into paper-thin rounds approximately one millimeter thick using a mandoline slicer.
Place the sliced cucumbers into a medium mixing bowl, sprinkle evenly with the fine sea salt, and toss thoroughly by hand to coat every slice.
Let the salted cucumbers rest undisturbed in the medium mixing bowl for ten minutes at room temperature until limp and pooled with expelled liquid.
Submerge the dried wakame seaweed in 300 ml of cool water at approximately 20°C (68°F) inside a small bowl, allowing it to soak for five minutes until fully expanded and soft.
Pour the rehydrated wakame into a fine-mesh sieve to drain the soaking water, then transfer the seaweed onto a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze out excess moisture.
Gather the salted cucumbers inside the clean kitchen towel and twist the fabric firmly over the sink to wring out as much expelled liquid as possible.
In the emptied medium mixing bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, granulated sugar, soy sauce, and 15 ml water using a small whisk until the sugar granules are completely dissolved.
Add the squeezed cucumbers and drained wakame to the medium mixing bowl with the dressing, tossing with clean hands until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Transfer the salad into a serving bowl, scatter the toasted white sesame seeds across the top, and serve immediately while cold.
Chef's Notes
- Kirby cucumbers are uniquely suited for sunomono because their thick skin, low core moisture, and dense flesh stay remarkably crunchy after salt purging.
- The sanbaizu dressing relies on a balanced ratio of rice vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce; adding a small splash of water softens the sharpness without masking the tang.
- Lightly crushing half of the toasted sesame seeds between your fingertips as you sprinkle them releases aromatic oils for a deeper nutty aroma.
- Serve this salad cold in small ceramic vessels as an acidic palate cleanser alongside rich dishes such as karaage, tempura, or grilled meats.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. The salad is best consumed within 24 hours as cucumbers continue to shed moisture over time.
Reheating: Serve chilled or slightly cool. Do not reheat.
Troubleshooting
The salad becomes watery and diluted within minutes of plating
Cause: The cucumbers or wakame were not squeezed dry enough during prep
Fix: Pour off the watery liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and toss the vegetables with a freshly whisked half-portion of dressing
Prevention: Wring both the salted cucumbers and soaked wakame forcefully inside a dry cloth towel until no drops emerge
The cucumbers taste unpleasantly salty
Cause: More salt than measured was used, or the cucumbers sat in the salt pool longer than 15 minutes
Fix: Plunge the squeezed cucumbers into a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes to leach out surface salt, then squeeze firmly dry again
Prevention: Measure the salt accurately with a gram scale and set a timer for the ten-minute purge
Wakame has a mushy or slippery, slimy texture
Cause: The dried seaweed was soaked in warm water or left soaking too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed; discard the mushy seaweed and soak a fresh batch in cool water
Prevention: Always use cool water and rehydrate for no more than five minutes
Cultural Context
Sunomono refers to traditional Japanese vinegar-dressed side dishes designed to refresh the palate during multi-course dining. Pairing cucumber (kyuri) with wakame seaweed represents the culinary concept of de-ai, bringing together complementary seasonal elements from the land and the ocean. It remains an enduring staple of Japanese summer home cooking to provide crisp, revitalizing relief during humid weather.
