JAPANESE CUCUMBER SALAD WITH VINEGAR

Japanese Cucumber Salad with Vinegar image

Yield Serves 4 as a side dish

Number Of Ingredients 9

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3 heaping tablespoons bonito flakes* (optional)
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 English cucumbers or 4 regular cucumbers
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
Garnish:
Garnish: a 1- by 2-inch piece toasted nori* (dried laver) from one 8- by 7 1/2-inch sheet (optional)
*available at Japanese markets and some specialty foods shops.

Steps:

If using bonito flakes, in a bowl stir together flakes, vinegar, and soy sauce and let stand 1 hour.
Peel and seed cucumbers and diagonally cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a colander set over a bowl toss cucumbers with salt and drain 30 minutes. Rinse cucumbers well and pat dry. Pour bonito mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl and toss liquid with cucumbers and 1 tablespoon sugar; if not using bonito flakes, toss cucumbers with vinegar, soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste. With scissors cut nori lengthwise into thin strips.
Serve salad garnished with nori strips.