Japanese Cucumber Salad Recipe (Sunomono) - Sweet & Tangy (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Tsukemono and sunomono? ›

Sunomono refers to specifically quick pickled cucumbers. Therefore, sunomono is a type of tsukemono.

Japanese cucumbers are mild and crunchy, with an unsweet melon-like flavor. The skins can also be eaten, although you could peel them in alternating green stripes for aesthetics.

The English come with a plastic wrapper so that they don't have to have a wax coating and also to improve shelf life. The Japanese look similar to the English ones but with bumps. For sushi, these are the ones I prefer to use.

Japanese cucumbers are smaller and have few to no seeds, making them a wonderful fresh produce item. They have a smooth dark-green skin with light-green internal flesh. The skin is very tender so there's no need for peeling before eating.

The Japanese cucumber is 9 to 10 inches long and smaller in diameter than regular cucumbers. It has a bumpy skin and a milder flavor than regular cucumbers.

Japanese cucumbers can grow quite long, commonly being picked when they are at least 12 inches. Like other longer varieties, they are thin skinned and have minimal seeds. They are of the sweetest and most flavorful cucumbers.

Differences Between Zucchini & Cucumber. Fruit or Vegetable: Though they may look similar, cucumbers and zucchini do not belong to the same family. Cucumbers belong to the gourd family while zucchini belongs to the Cucurbita family. Technically speaking, cucumbers are considered to be a fruit by many people.

Cucumbers - rolling in salt

Doing so will remove the stipples (bumps) and refresh both the color and flavor. This preparation method is called “itazuri” in Japanese. The recommended amount of salt for 1 cucumber is about 1/2 to 1 tsp. After performing itazuri, quickly rinse off the cucumber and then cut up.

Usually, cucurbitacin stays in the stem and leaves, but it can work its way into the fruit, causing bitter cucumbers. Cucumbers tend to grow bitter when the plant is under stress from inconsistent water, fluctuating temperatures or poor soil. The higher the level of the compound, the more bitter the fruit.

Persian Cucumbers

They have a mild flavor and thin skins, so they're great sliced or chopped for salads and snacking, or even tossed in the blender to make a Spicy Cucumber Margarita.

What is cucumber called in Japan? ›

Kyuri (cucumber)

They are commonly found raw in salads or as a garnish, or pickled in an iced brine.

When stored properly, cucumbers can last up to one week in the refrigerator. This timeframe is applicable to both whole cucumbers and sliced cucumbers. If you're looking for a long-term storage solution, you could try freezing cucumbers.

What is Sunomono? Breaking down the word Sunomono, Su means vinegar and Mono means thing, so Sunomono would mean vinegar thing. This just typically means a dish is vinegar based.

Japanese pickles (漬物, tsukemono) are an important part of the Japanese diet, served with practically every traditional meal alongside rice and miso soup. They are valued for their unique flavors and commonly used as a garnish, relish, condiment, palate cleanser or digestive.

Crunchy with an appetizingly sour & sweet-tart flavor, tsukemono are the Japanese pickles served alongside rice and miso soup. Find out more about the different types of tsukemono you may encounter in a Japanese meal.