I used to always order a seaweed salad at a Japanese restaurant. That is until I realized that the bright green ones are artificially colored…ewww! Do not fret, you can always ask if the salad is “made in house”, if the answer is yes then likely to be the real deal. Or, you can just make it yourself…here’s how!
Marinated Cucumber Seaweed Salad
Ingredients:
2 ounces dried wakame seaweed*
1 large seedless cucumber, peeled in alternate strips and sliced into ¼ inch half moons**
1/8 of a medium red onion, very thinly sliced
Thinly sliced chili such as Thai or serrano, optional
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Dressing~
4 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons neutral oil such as grapeseed or rice bran oil
1 Tablespoon white miso paste
1+ Tablespoons nama shoyu or soy sauce
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 Tablespoons finely grated ginger
A pinch of salt
Makes 4 large servings
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add wakame and remove the saucepan from the heat; let stand until softened, 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze the seaweed out gently. If you have purchased the large leaves; slice thinly removing any very large tough ribs from the center. If you have purchased the “prepared”variety no need to cut.
Whisk all ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl. Add the wakame, cucumbers, onions and chili and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve.
Tips & Notes~
Add some very thinly sliced red bell pepper or carrot for some nice crunch and color.
*Wakame is a type of dried seaweed. It comes in packages of long strips or pre-cut, the pre-cut variety will save time. Typically it comes in 1.75oz – 2oz packages, either weight is fine for this recipe.
**If using a regular cucumber, use 2 large- and be sure to remove seeds.
