Kyuri Asa-zuke (Japanese Lightly Pickled Cucumbers)

We had these with our sushi last night and they were tasty!

2 – 3 Japanese cucumbers/3 – 4 mini (seedless) cucumbers (about 10.5 ounces/300 grams)
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
7 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1. Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry. Rub the cucumbers with the salt, then cut them into 1/2-inch slices and place in a glass pint-sized jar. If the pieces don’t all fit, you can remove pieces and gently press down on the pieces in the jar to make them fit. Add the kombu to the jar.

2. Mix the water, vinegar, and sugar together in a separate container and then pour the mixture over the cucumbers. Cover the top of the jar with plastic wrap, and then screw the lid in place. The plastic wrap prevents the vinegar from touching the metal of the lid (which will affect the flavor of the pickles).

4. Put the cucumbers in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 12 hours. She the jar up and down occasionally so the marinade penetrates the cucumber slices well. Each time you take cucumber slices out of the jar, make sure and reseal it with the plastic wrap before replacing the lid.

* You can also add soy sauce, chili pepper, or sesame oil to the marinade according to your tastes.



Another version
ASIAN-INSPIRED REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

5-6 kirby (pickling) cucumbers, each cut into six spears

1 chili pepper

1 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar (look for a brand that uses sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Trader Joe's makes a good one)

2 limes, juiced

3-4 scallions, chopped (greens and whites)

2 garlic cloves, sliced

4 sprigs of mint, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pack the cucumber spears into a quart jar. Slide the chili pepper down in among the cucumber spears. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the rice wine vinegar, lime juice, scallions, garlic cloves, mint and salt. Pour over the cucumbers. Using your fingers, poke some of the garlic slivers, mint and scallion down amid the cucumbers. Screw a lid on the jar, and holding it over the sink (in case of leaks) invert the jar and give it a good shake, in order to distribute all the delicious bits.

Let your pickles sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before eating.