Growing an edible garden has been a passion of mine since I was a kid. In Tokyo, finding enough land for a proper garden is tough, but I've learned to make do with planters, and my balcony has become a little haven of fresh produce. This year, the weather has been kind, and my cucumbers and shiso are thriving.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy these fresh cucumbers is to salt and season them with simple ingredients to make a dish that's somewhere between a salad and a pickle. For this version, I'm using some salty and puckeringly tart umeboshi, along with a handful of fresh shiso from the garden.
I like to cut the cucumbers using an oblique cut, slicing at a 45° angle and then rotating the cucumber 90° before the next slice. This technique creates a ton of surface area for the salt and ume paste to soak into.
Salting the cucumbers draws out their excess water, preventing the salad from becoming soggy and transforming their texture from crispy to crunchy.
If you can't find ume paste in a tube, you can easily make it by removing the pits from whole umeboshi and mincing the flesh until it forms a paste.
This simple yet vibrant dish is perfect for a quick snack with drinks or a refreshing side salad, bringing a touch of summer in Japan to your table.
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Units
Ingredients
- 250 grams cucumbers 2 large Japanese cucumbers
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 25 grams ume paste
- 10 grams shiso leaves
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Using an oblique cut, slice the 250 grams cucumbers into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the cucumbers to a bowl and toss with ¼ teaspoon salt to coat evenly. Let the salted cucumbers rest for at least 20 minutes to allow them to sweat.
- Drain off any accumulated water from the cucumbers.
- Add the chopped 10 grams shiso leaves and 25 grams ume paste and toss to coat.
- Plate and top the ume shiso cucumbers with ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds.
Kristopher Zemlyak says
I had some myoga and some leftover sesame dressing on hand and threw them in as well and they really brought some additional dimensions. Love this little quick salad!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks! Great call on the myoga, it goes so well with ume and shiso.