Cucumber And Seaweed Salad Recipe

Name: Noodles CUCUMBER AND SEAWEED SALAD Recipe
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 cups English cucumber (or Japanese cucumber); 1 tbs Kizami nori (finely shredded roasted seaweed); 2 tbs Toasted sesame seeds (white and/or black, mixed); 2 tbs Thinly sliced green onion (white and light green parts); 3 tbs Rice vinegar; 1 tbs Soy sauce (light or regular); 1 tsp Sesame oil (toasted); 1 tsp Mirin or light honey (optional for mild sweetness); 1 tsp Granulated sugar (optional, if not using mirin/honey); 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper; 0.25 tsp Optional: red pepper flakes (shichimi togarashi or crushed chili)

Inspired by Noodles

Time25m

Serves4

sesame seed and kizami nori

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Ingredients

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Salad

2 cups English cucumber (or Japanese cucumber)

1 tbs Kizami nori (finely shredded roasted seaweed)

2 tbs Toasted sesame seeds (white and/or black, mixed)

2 tbs Thinly sliced green onion (white and light green parts)

Dressing

3 tbs Rice vinegar

1 tbs Soy sauce (light or regular)

1 tsp Sesame oil (toasted)

1 tsp Mirin or light honey (optional for mild sweetness)

1 tsp Granulated sugar (optional, if not using mirin/honey)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp Optional: red pepper flakes (shichimi togarashi or crushed chili)

Method

Salad

Prepare cucumbers

Wash cucumbers. If using English or Japanese cucumbers, trim the ends. Slice cucumbers thinly on the bias (about 1/8" / 3 mm) or use a mandoline for even slices. You should yield roughly 2 cups of slices. If cucumber skin is very thick, peel alternate stripes for texture.

Lightly salt and drain

Place cucumber slices in a colander or bowl, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, toss gently, and let sit 8–10 minutes to draw out excess water. After resting, gently squeeze or press the cucumbers to remove excess liquid and transfer to a serving bowl.

Add aromatics

Add the thinly sliced green onions to the drained cucumbers and toss to combine.

Finish with seaweed and seeds

Just before serving, sprinkle the kizami nori over the cucumbers and reserve the toasted sesame seeds to be added after dressing so they remain crunchy.

Dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and mirin (or honey) if using. If you opted for sugar instead of mirin/honey, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar first. Whisk or shake until well combined.

Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning: if it needs more saltiness add a little more soy sauce; to brighten it, add a splash more rice vinegar; to round it, add a touch more sesame oil or a tiny pinch of sugar. Add the freshly ground black pepper and optional red pepper flakes if using. The final flavor should be tangy, slightly salty, with sesame aroma.

Dress the salad: Pour the dressing over the prepared cucumbers and green onions and toss gently to coat all slices evenly. Let sit 1–2 minutes to allow flavors to meld but not so long that the cucumbers become soggy.

Finish and serve: Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds and the shredded kizami nori over the dressed cucumbers. Toss very lightly once more or leave scattered on top for presentation. Serve immediately or chill up to 30 minutes before serving for a cooler salad.