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Japanese Pickled Cucumbers (Asazuke)

A simple yet addictive recipe for Japanese pickled cucumbers. Lower in salt and additives than store-bought versions, they are perfect as a palate cleanser for your everyday meals. While easy to make, a little extra step elevates them to a taste you won't want to go back to store-bought. Enjoy the crisp texture and the exquisite balance of sourness and umami.

Steps

Prepare 2 cucumbers (200g) in a bowl and trim off the ends.
🕒 00:25
Slice the cucumbers diagonally using a slicer or a knife.
🕒 01:03
Add 2 pinches of salt and 2 pinches of sugar to the sliced cucumbers and rub them firmly until they release moisture. [This is the key!] Adding sugar along with salt effectively draws out moisture without leaving a salty taste.
🕒 01:37
Spread the salt-rubbed cucumbers on a sieve to drain moisture naturally. [This is the key!] Removing excess water prevents the dressing from becoming diluted and allows the cucumbers to absorb the flavors well.
🕒 02:31
In a small pot, combine 1.5 tbsp of Cooking Sake (Rice Wine), 1.5 tbsp of Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine), 2 tsp of Soy Sauce, 2 tsp of Sugar, Sliced Dried Chili Peppers (to taste), and approx. 3g of Kombu Seaweed. Finely cut the Kombu with scissors. [This is the key!] Cutting the kombu into small pieces helps the umami flavor to meld better into the entire dressing.
🕒 02:49
Heat the pot over low heat to evaporate the alcohol from the sake and mirin. Boiling is sufficient.
🕒 03:49
After turning off the heat, add 3 tbsp of Vinegar to the pot. [This is the key!] Vinegar loses its tanginess when heated, so add it after turning off the heat if you want to emphasize the sourness. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can add it during heating.
🕒 04:05
Prepare a food container or a plastic bag.
🕒 04:47
Gently pat the surface moisture off the cucumbers drained on the sieve with a kitchen paper. Be careful not to squeeze them too tightly. [This is the key!] Wiping off the surface moisture allows the cucumbers to absorb the flavor well even with a small amount of dressing.
🕒 05:04
Place the moisture-blotted cucumbers in the food container, add the prepared dressing, and mix lightly.
🕒 05:39
Tuck the Kombu towards the bottom to help release its umami flavor.
🕒 05:46
Cover the cucumbers tightly with plastic wrap, ensuring it adheres to the surface, and remove any air bubbles. [This is the key!] By covering with plastic wrap and removing air, the entire cucumber will absorb the flavor evenly even with a small amount of dressing.
🕒 05:59
Lightly press down on the plastic wrap to push out any excess liquid.
🕒 06:18
Fold the edges of the plastic wrap inwards so they don't extend outside the container.
🕒 06:31
Refrigerate for half a day to 2 hours.
🕒 06:52
After one night, remove the Kombu.
🕒 07:12
Transfer the finished Japanese Pickled Cucumbers to a serving dish.
🕒 07:30