Japanese Pickled Cucumbers

ingredients

• 1 large Japanese cucumber
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ cup rice vinegar

method

This recipe is super simple.

Wash and cut the cucumber. Cut it thin. How thin? That’s up to you. Use a mandolin and go super thin. Or use a knife and go as thin as you can. I usually end up slicing the cucumber into ⅛-inch thick slices.

Some people prefer the cucumber slices thicker, others like it thinner. There’s no real right or wrong. Also: do the best you can but don’t stress about trying to make perfect or even slices.

Second step is to salt the cucumbers. Just place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle salt on top. Mix it gently and then let sit for 10 minutes.

The salt will help draw water out from the cucumber (so you can get a crunchier pickled cucumber). Drain out the water after 10 minutes.

Then in another, smaller bowl, dissolve the sugar into the rice vinegar. Pour that mixture over the salted cucumbers. Mix gently with a spoon. Cover and place it the refrigerator for an hour to let it “pickle.”

Take it out after an hour. Eat and enjoy! If you want it more pickle-y, just marinate for longer. So easy, so ono ^_^

Sliced cucumbers, with salt sprinkled on top.

Thinly slice the cucumber and place in a mixing bowl.

Sprinkle salt on the cucumbers, toss. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain the water.

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the rice vinegar. Pour over the salted cucumbers.

Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Ready to eat!