Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)

1. Gather all the ingredients.

To Make the Dressing

1. In a saucepan, combine 4 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 2 Tbsp sugar, ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and ½ tsp soy sauce. Alternatively, you can use a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in the microwave until the sugar dissolves.
2. Heat over medium heat and whisk it well together. When the sugar is dissolved completely, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool. Tip: If you decrease the sugar amount (which I don't recommend), you may find that the vinegar tastes too strong. If it's still too strong for you after adding the cucumbers, you can dilute it with a very small amount of Dashi (Japanese soup stock), Vegan Dashi, or water.

To Make the Sunomono

1. Soak 1 Tbsp dried wakame seaweed in water and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, peel the skin of 2 Japanese cucumbers, leaving some skin on to create stripes. Then, slice them thinly into rounds.
3. Sprinkle 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt on the slices and gently massage it in. Set aside for 5 minutes. The salt helps draw out the moisture from the cucumbers (so it does not dilute the salad dressing after mixing).
4. Squeeze out the liquid from the rehydrated wakame seaweed and add it to a medium bowl. 
5. Squeeze out the liquid from the cucumbers. and add them to the bowl. with the dressing and toss it all together.
6. Add ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds and pour the dressing.
7. Combine everything together and serve in individual bowls or a large serving bowl.

Variations

1. Crab meat: Cut 4 pieces real or imitation crabmeat into thirds. Add to the cucumber and wakame seaweed mixture in Step 7. Boiled octopus: Slice 2 oz octopus sashimi (boiled octopus) thinly. Add to the cucumber and wakame seaweed mixture in Step 7. Boiled salted baby anchovies: Add 2 Tbsp shirasu (boiled salted baby anchovies) to the cucumber and wakame seaweed mixture in Step 7.

To Store

1. Keep in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days (2 days for the seafood variations and 3 days for the classic version). However, the cucumber may release more moisture and the sauce may get diluted, so enjoy it soon!