Japanese cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Tako Su

Thin octopus slices and salted cucumber in a mild rice vinegar dressing, served ice-cold as a starter.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g cooked octopus (ready to use)
• 1 cucumber
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 piece ginger (3 cm)
• 2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Soak the wakame in cold water for 8 min. until unfurled, then drain and squeeze out well.
2. Halve the cucumber lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with a spoon and shave the halves into very thin half-moons; mix with the salt and let sit for 10 min. to draw out water.
3. Slice the octopus on the diagonal into 3 mm thin slices — cutting on the bias keeps it tender and not rubbery.
4. Mix the rice vinegar, sugar and soy sauce until the sugar has fully dissolved, and stir in the finely grated ginger.
5. Squeeze the cucumber slices firmly and toss with the octopus and wakame in the dressing, then chill for at least 15 min.
6. Spoon the sunomono with a little dressing into small bowls, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve well chilled.