As much as I love sushi, and I really do love sushi, sometimes you need something to go with it. Something with bite, something with tang, something that adds that touch of sharpness. Something like Japanese pickled cucumbers.
Japanese pickled cucumbers are a crunchy, tangy, soft, sweet, sour mess of contradictions. They’re the flavor that your mouth is crying out for when you’ve snacked on too much umami.
They’re also an ideal way to use up any cucumbers you bought, enthusiastically planning salads that never quite materialized.
Another great reason to make Japanese pickled cucumbers is it can act as a bit of a palate cleanser. So when you’ve maybe indulged in a bit too much rice, a quick nibble on this, and you’re ready to go!
Absolutely perfect for those large sushi spreads where you just want to try everything, or when you may have overestimated how much rice was necessary. And the best, best thing? It’s so easy to do! You can whip this recipe up with literally minutes of prep time!
What cucumbers to use for Japanese pickled cucumber?
Those massive cucumbers you tend to get at grocery stores are perfect for salads, but not so good for pickling. The problem is the water content. Giant cucumbers are engorged with water, making them less able to absorb the vinegar.
If you can, try and get Persian cucumbers, or other, thinner cucumbers. They just work better. If you can’t find Persian cucumbers, then the regular ones will work. Just be sure to spend a little more time massaging out the water content.
What to eat with Japanese pickled cucumbers?
That’s (another) fantastic thing! These pickled cucumbers go with almost anything. They are the ideal companion to rice dishes, but there’s no need to stop there.
Japanese pickled cucumbers are a side dish, so they can be served on the side of almost anything! Rice plus main plus pickled veg is traditional, so there’s lots of room to experiment!
How to make Japanese pickled cucumbers
Begin by washing and slicing your cucumbers. How thin you slice them is entirely up to you. Show off your knife skills with the thinnest slices you can get, or get them even with a mandolin.
Or, if you prefer the crunch, keep them thicker. I personally like them at around 2 mm. It’s thin enough to get a good coating of the pickling solution, but not so thin they don’t feel like a mouthful. This should be a stress-free recipe, so slice them whatever way you can.
Next comes the salting and the massaging. If you’ve never massaged cucumbers before, it probably sounds a little strange, but what it does is get the salt in better. And what the salt does is draw out the excess moisture.
Once your cucumbers are well salted, leave them to sit for 10 minutes. When you come back, you should notice how much liquid has been drawn out.
Squeeze and drain this way. Without so much water, the cucumbers can absorb more of the vinegar. For a better punch of flavor – and a better crunch.
While your cucumbers are draining, mix sugar in with rice vinegar until it dissolves. This forms your basic pickling mixture. Add a splash of soy sauce. If you want, add some sesame oil, and a pinch of chili flakes.
Pour this mixture over the salted cucumbers, mix, and leave to marinate. That is, if you can resist a quick bite. After 30 minutes, the cucumbers should be well pickled, and ready to serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds!
Super quick, super tasty
You can either make this recipe simple, or you can make it super simple. For the super simple version, only four ingredients are necessary: cucumber, salt, rice vinegar, and sugar! They’re all store cupboard basics, so this is an easy one to throw together last minute.
Japanese Pickled Cucumber Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Persian cucumbers
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Optional
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
Directions
- Thinly slice the cucumbers into rounds, about 2 mm in thickness.
- Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl, and cover with the salt. Massage the salt into the cucumbers, and let sit for about 10 minutes. During this time, they should release their juices. Squeeze the cucumbers to remove any excess water, and drain.
- Add the sugar slowly to the rice vinegar, mixing well. You can make it more or less sweet, to suit personal tastes. Add the soy sauce to the mixture. If using, add the sesame oil, and chili flakes.
- Pour the liquid over the drained cucumbers, mixing to ensure everything is covered. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes, and finish with the sesame seed garnish.
Notes: Once you’ve tried it, feel free to play around with the amounts. Sesame oil isn’t necessary, but it does add an extra layer to the flavor. Similarly, add the chili flakes if you prefer a bit of spice.
Other fun additions are chopped scallions, and dried seaweed. Mix these in when you start marinating the cucumber. Or, try garnishing with very thinly chopped ginger. This is honestly so versatile that you may find yourself regularly chopping and changing what you use.
Rice vinegar is traditional, but you can try it with other types of vinegar if necessary. White vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and white wine vinegar can all work, but they will result in a different taste. You can even try balsamic vinegar, if that’s all you have on hand.
If you want to make it really super simple, then try leaving out the soy sauce and the sesame seeds. The dish still has the tang that you’re looking for, but is streamlined to just 4 ingredients!
This will keep for a couple of days, but it is best served fresh! It’s easy to size up and down, so try only making enough for a meal.
