Octopus Vinegared Salad (たこの酢の物, Tako no Sunomono)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Sharp slicing knife, preferably a yanagiba or a thin chef's knife
• •Small bowl for salting cucumber
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Small pan for warming mirin

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt the cucumber

   Slice the cucumbers as thinly as you can, then toss them with the salt and leave them for 10 minutes. The salt draws out water and seasons the slices all the way through, so the finished salad tastes crisp instead of diluted. Rinse briefly, then squeeze gently in your hands until the cucumber feels supple but not crushed.

   Don't wring the cucumber like laundry. A gentle squeeze keeps its shape and leaves enough snap for the bowl.
2. 2

   Wake the wakame

   Soak the dried wakame in cold water for about 5 minutes, just until it opens and turns glossy green. Drain it well and cut away any tough stems. Cold water keeps the seaweed clean-tasting and firm; hot water makes it slack.

3. 3

   Slice the tako

   Pat the boiled octopus dry and slice it thinly on a slight diagonal, cutting against the grain of the tentacle. Use one clean pull of the knife if you can. Thin slices stay tender, and the wide cut faces catch the sanbaizu instead of shedding it.

   This is where the knife does the seasoning. A clean cut gives the vinegar more surface to touch, and the octopus tastes brighter for it.
4. 4

   Make sanbaizu

   In a small pan, warm the mirin just until its raw alcoholic edge softens, about 30 seconds. Take it off the heat and stir in the rice vinegar, soy sauce, dashi, and sugar if your vinegar is especially sharp. The dressing should taste bright first, then rounded, not sweet like syrup.

   For a meatless table, use konbu and dried shiitake dashi. That is the temple-kitchen way, and it is honmono, not a compromise.
5. 5

   Dress and rest

   Combine the cucumber, wakame, and sliced octopus in a bowl. Spoon over the sanbaizu and toss lightly, then let it stand 5 minutes in the refrigerator. That short rest lets the vinegar settle into the cut faces without stealing the cucumber's crispness.

6. 6

   Plate quietly

   Lift the salad from the dressing and mound it lightly in small bowls, giving each serving cucumber, wakame, and three or five slices of tako. Spoon a little dressing around the base, not over the top. Finish with grated ginger and sesame seeds, and serve chilled.

Chef Tips

• •Buy yude-dako, already boiled octopus, from a fishmonger who sells it cold and glistening fresh. If it smells strongly fishy or feels slimy rather than clean and firm, choose another dish. Sourcing first, always.
• •Japanese cucumbers are best here because they have thin skins, few seeds, and a clean crunch. An English cucumber is a sensible stand-in. Scoop out watery seeds if the center looks loose.
• •Make the sanbaizu small and sharp. Sunomono is not meant to swim. Dress, rest briefly, then lift the ingredients out so the bowl stays composed.
• •If you make your own dashi, keep it clear and gentle. Don't use instant powder here; this is a small dish, and flat saltiness has nowhere to hide.

Advance Preparation

• •The sanbaizu can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated.
• •The cucumber can be salted and squeezed up to 4 hours ahead. Keep it covered and cold.
• •Slice and dress the octopus within 30 minutes of serving. It is best cool and fresh, before the vinegar tightens it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 115g)