Asazuke Cucumber

Ingredients

• 250 g Baby cucumber (Use baby cucumbers rather than standard cucumbers.)
• 0.5 Chilli pepper (Use a normal chilli pepper; slice it. Traditional option: use Takanotsume chilli pepper.)
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce (Seasoning.)
• 1.25 tbsp White wine (Use a dry, low-acidity wine such as Pinot Gris; avoid fruity wine. Heat to cook off the alcohol, then cool. Traditional option: replace the white wine and sugar with 1 1/4 tbsp mirin.)
• 0.5 tbsp Sugar (Traditional option: replace the white wine and sugar with 1 1/4 tbsp mirin.)
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil (Seasoning.)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the white wine in a small pan and heat it to cook off the alcohol. Let the wine cool completely.

2. 2

   Sprinkle the baby cucumbers with the salt. Rub them on a cutting board, then rinse them with water.

3. 3

   Cut the rinsed cucumbers into bite-sized pieces.

4. 4

   Slice the chilli pepper.

5. 5

   Place the soy sauce, cooled white wine, sugar, and sesame oil in a ziplock bag.

6. 6

   Add the cucumbers and sliced chilli pepper to the bag, then massage the bag well so the seasoning coats the vegetables.

7. 7

   Marinate the cucumbers in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

8. 8

   Serve chilled after marinating.

Notes

For the traditional version, use Japanese cucumbers instead of baby cucumbers, replace the white wine and sugar with 1 1/4 tbsp mirin, add 1/2 tsp dashi powder, and use Takanotsume chilli pepper. The source does not specify a heating temperature or exact heating time for the white wine.

Nutrition per serving

• side dish
• Japanese
• quick pickle
• no-cook after preparation
• vegetarian
• gluten-free optional
• marinated
• spicy