Steps

1. Prepare 2 cucumbers (200g) in a bowl and trim off the ends.
   🕒 00:25
2. Slice the cucumbers diagonally using a slicer or a knife.
   🕒 01:03
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. Heat the pot over low heat to evaporate the alcohol from the sake and mirin. Boiling is sufficient.
   🕒 03:49
7. 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.
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8. Prepare a food container or a plastic bag.
   🕒 04:47
9. 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
10. Place the moisture-blotted cucumbers in the food container, add the prepared dressing, and mix lightly.
    🕒 05:39
11. Tuck the Kombu towards the bottom to help release its umami flavor.
    🕒 05:46
12. 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
13. Lightly press down on the plastic wrap to push out any excess liquid.
    🕒 06:18
14. Fold the edges of the plastic wrap inwards so they don't extend outside the container.
    🕒 06:31
15. Refrigerate for half a day to 2 hours.
    🕒 06:52
16. After one night, remove the Kombu.
    🕒 07:12
17. Transfer the finished Japanese Pickled Cucumbers to a serving dish.
    🕒 07:30