Vinegared Cucumbers
(Kyuri no Sunomono)
2 Japanese cucumbers, or 1 medium cucumber
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1. Peel cucumber lengthwise, leaving some green skin in 1/4-inch widths for color. Remove seeds and slice thinly. Wrap in a towel or paper towels for a few minutes to drain off the moisture.
2. Mix vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Pour over cucumbers, toss, and divide among 4 small bowls.
3. In a hot dry skillet, toast sesame seeds briefly and sprinkle over cucumbers.
| Yield: 4 servings | Preparation time: 10 minutes |
| Calories per serving: 30 | Total fat: 1.5 g |
| Saturated fat: 0.5 g | Polyunsaturated fat: 0.5 g |
| Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 15 mg |
Red-and-White Carrot and Radish Salad
(Kohaku Namasu)
Red and white are the colors of joyous occasions such as weddings and New Year celebrations.
2 cups Japanese white radish (daikon), peeled and grated
1 carrot, peeled and grated
½ recipe amazu (sweet-and-sour dressing; see p. 58)
1. Place grated vegetables in separate bowls. Gently turn and squeeze with hands to extract water. Squeeze and drain on an absorbent towel. Please read the introductory paragraph to sunomono on page 50 about salting vegetables to extract moisture.
2. Combine the vegetables in one bowl and pour amazu on top.: Mix well and marinate at least 30 minutes. Flavor will be stronger (too strong for my taste) if allowed to marinate longer.
3. Drain and serve in small quantities on individual dishes.
| Yield: 6-8 servings | Preparation time: 10 minutes |
| Nutrient analysis includes amazu. | |
| Calories per serving: 35 | Total fat: 0 g |
| Saturated fat: 0 g | Polyunsaturated fat: 0 g |
| Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 15 mg |
Cucumber Stuffed with Crabmeat
(Kani Kyuri Ikomi)
This attractive tidbit makes a tempting appetizer as well as a refreshing side dish. Lobster or shrimp may be used in place of crab.
2-inch piece fresh ginger root
2 ounces cooked flaked crabmeat
1 Japanese cucumber (12 inches long) or 2 thin cucumbers
½ recipe sanbaizu (p. 59)
½ cup watercress or flat-leafed parsley, blanched in boiling water for 10 seconds
1. Mince ginger root. Extract 2 teaspoons juice. Discard pulp.
2. Combine ginger-root juice with crab flakes and set aside.
3. Wash and trim ends of cucumber. Peel it lengthwise leaving some green skin in Vi-inch widths for color. Cut cucumbers in half crosswise into 2 short cylinders. With a small spoon or knife remove all pulp and seeds from center to make a hollow for stuffing.
4. Slit one side of cucumber. Hold the slit cucumber open with one hand and using chopsticks or a small spoon, fill the hollowed shell down its length, first with crabmeat, and then stuff greens next to it.
5. Cut filled cucumbers into Vz-inch slices. As a side dish, place 4 slices on each of 6 small plates. Spoon sanbaizu over each serving.
6. As an hors d'oeuvre, arrange slices on a platter. Sprinkle sanbaizu over all and garnish with green leaves artistically placed.
| Yield: 6 servings, or 24 appetizers | Preparation time: 10 minutes |
| Nutrient analysis includes sanbaizu. | |
| Calories per serving: 30 | Total fat: 0.5 g |
| Saturated fat: Trace | Polyunsaturated fat: Trace |
| Cholesterol: 10 mg | Sodium: 55 g |
Spinach with Sesame-Seed Dressing
(Horenso no Hitashi)
This is a delicious way to prepare spinach, though cauliflower, broccoli, or any green vegetable for that matter will be enhanced by this sesame-seed dressing. The traditional recipe contains a lot more soy sauce and hence has a stronger flavor, but this is very good, too. Busy cooks may simplify this recipe by omitting the grinding of the sesame seeds (step 3): in that case, you should combine the sauce ingredients, mix into the spinach, and then sprinkle all the toasted sesame seeds on top of each serving.
1 pound spinach (6 cups), washed and trimmed
¼ cup black or white sesame seeds
¼ cup dashi (p. 9), or unsalted chicken stock (p. 10)
1 teaspoon mirin, or 1 teaspoon saké and less than 1/8 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons rice vinegar or mild white vinegar
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the spinach and cook until the leaves are barely wilted. Drain and cool immediately under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly and chop into 1-inch lengths.
2. In a heated skillet, lightly toast the sesame seeds over moderate heat. Shake the pan to avoid scorching. Reserve a few for garnish.
3. Pound the remaining toasted seeds to a paste in a mortar (suribachi) or blender. The grinding of the sesame seeds releases the oil and converts the seeds into a paste. If you use a blender, you may need to add a bit of oil to keep the mass moving.
4. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl with the sesame paste. Toss spinach with sauce until leaves are thoroughly coated. Divide among 4 small bowls. Garnish with reserved sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature.
| Yield: 4 servings | Cooking time: 10 minutes |
| Calories per serving: 85 | Total fat: 4.5 g |
| Saturated fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated fat: 2 g |