Smashed cucumbers dressed with sesame-soy vinaigrette-style dressing, garnished with toasted sesame seeds.
Smashed Cucumbers with Toasted Sesame
Tataki Kyuuri no Goma Aé
たたき胡瓜の胡麻和え
Most supermarkets in Japan set up a small table at the back of their produce section with slightly bruised or blemished (and therefore deeply-discounted) fruits and vegetables. Here, too, you can find day-old, but still fine-flavored and perfectly safe to consume, items. I am in the habit of regularly scanning the display to see what’s available. Whenever I see less-than-gorgeous-looking, odd-shaped cucumbers I grab them to make this salad.
The cucumbers are especially good when dressed with a Sesame-Soy Vinaigrette-Style Dressing. It’s easy to make in quantity in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid; store the mixture in the refrigerator for up to a week. Shake the jar to distribute well just before pouring out.
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