Japanese: Tsukemono (Sunomono and Other Pickled Things)

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(makes 3-4 servings)

Brine ingredients:

• ½ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon dashi powder
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• Salt (to taste)

Sunomono ingredients:

• 6 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• Salt
• Toppings: carrot sticks, crabstick (slivered), cooked octopus (sliced), salmon roe (optional)
• Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
• Dried red chile pepper, thinly sliced (for garnish)
• Other pickled things: substitute cucumbers with daikon, radish, napa cabbage, etc

Procedure:

1. Wash and peel the veggies (if needed), slice or cut into bite-size pieces; coat with salt and let rest for at least 10 minutes or until they sweat
2. Once the veggies have been tenderized, lightly squeeze out the salt water, rinse,  and pat dry with paper towels
3. Make the brine: mix all brine ingredients in a bowl
4. Combine veggies and brine in a resealable freezer bag; let rest in refrigerator at least 30 minutes (tip: some veggies like carrots and cabbage may need to be brined for several hours or overnight)
5. Add toppings and garnish (if desired) and serve