Name: TOKYO GRILL at North Yorks Cucumber Sticks (morokyu) Recipe
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 pieces English cucumber (or Japanese cucumber); 1 tsp Salt (for sweating); 3 tbs White miso (shiro miso); 1 tbs Mirin; 1 tsp Sugar; 0.5 tsp Soy sauce; 0.5 tsp Sesame oil; 1 tsp Water (to thin, optional); 3 tbs Japanese mayonnaise (e.g., Kewpie) or regular mayonnaise; 0.5 tsp Rice vinegar or lemon juice (optional for brightness); 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds; 2 leaves Shiso leaf or mitsuba (thinly sliced, optional)

Method

Prepare Cucumbers

Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. Trim or slice off both ends.

If desired, lightly peel stripes: use a vegetable peeler to remove thin strips of skin along the length for a striped appearance (optional).

Cut each cucumber into 3–4 equal lengths (about 3–4 inches / 8–10 cm). Then cut each length into sticks about 1/2-inch (1–1.2 cm) thick so they are easy to pick up. You should have uniform batons for dipping.

Place the cucumber sticks in a bowl, sprinkle with the 1 tsp salt, toss gently, and let sit 5–10 minutes. This lightly draws out excess water and improves texture and flavor.

After sweating, pat the cucumber sticks dry with paper towels to remove released moisture and excess salt. Taste one and adjust (rinse quickly if too salty).

Make Moro-miso

In a small bowl, combine 3 tbs white miso, 1 tbs mirin, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp sesame oil.

Whisk until smooth. If the mixture is too thick for easy dipping, add up to 1 tsp water and whisk again to reach a thick but scoopable consistency.

Taste and adjust: add a touch more sugar or mirin for sweetness, soy sauce for saltiness, or a drop more sesame oil for nuttiness. Set aside at room temperature.

Make Mayo Dip

In a separate small bowl, combine 3 tbs Japanese mayonnaise and 1/2 tsp rice vinegar or lemon juice if using. Stir until homogeneous.

Taste and adjust: add more vinegar for tang, or mix a small amount of miso (1/2 tsp) into the mayo if you want a miso-mayo hybrid.

To Serve

Arrange the cucumber sticks on a serving plate or board in a single layer or fan shape for easy picking.

Spoon the moro-miso into a small dipping bowl and the mayo dip into a separate bowl. Place the bowls alongside the cucumber sticks.

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the moro-miso or directly on the cucumbers, and garnish with sliced shiso or mitsuba if using.

Serve immediately so cucumbers remain crisp. Provide toothpicks or small spoons for scooping the moro-miso. Leftovers: keep components separate in the refrigerator up to 2 days (cucumbers will lose crispness).