Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (2024)

FAQs

What does the Japanese culinary term sunomono mean? ›

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.

Kyuri (cucumber)

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

Sunomono (酢の物)

The four recipes are Kyuri-su (cucumber sunomono), Tako-su (octopus sunomono), Kani-su (crab sunomono), and kaiso moriwase-su (mixed seafood sunomono).

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.

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

Buta means "pig" or "pork", and don is short for donburi, the Japanese word for "bowl".

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.

The flesh varies in color from white to pale green and contains no developed seeds. Japanese cucumbers have a mild and refreshing, sweet, vegetal flavor with subtle melon-like, green nuances. The cucumbers also contain a less bitter taste than other cultivars, providing a more pleasant eating experience.

Most popular vegetables in Japan 2022

Almost 71 percent of respondents named cabbage their preferred vegetables, with onions following behind with over 68 percent.

Commodity Overview. 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. It is available year-round.

What is Japanese for nine cucumbers? ›

How do you say “nine cucumbers”? Kyuri kyuhon, kyuri kyuko, kyuri kyuhiki or kyuri kyuto? If that fires you up, you are probably not only a language-lover but a puzzle-solver, with the type of intellect that thrills not only to cryptic crosswords but to sudoku or brainteasers like the matchbox riddle.

Sunomono Salad with Kelp for Thyroid Support

A quick treat for a healthy thyroid, this cucumber and seaweed (kelp) salad is loaded with iodine and selenium, the essentials for a balanced hormone production in thyroid.

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.

The best way to keep cucumbers fresh is to store cucumbers in the refrigerator. For optimal taste and freshness, consume the cucumbers within seven to ten days of purchasing them from a grocery store or farmers' market.

Sunomono (酢の物), which literally means “vinegared dish” is a traditional Japanese side dish which is made with cucumbers among other things.

Tako Sunomono (Octopus Salad) is yet another variation of Sunomono, sliced vegetables soaked in sweet vinegar sauce. While the Sunomono can be as simple as a small dish of cucumber with some sesame seeds, we often mix in seafood such as Tako (octopus) or crab.

Sunomono (酢の物) refers to vinegar-based dishes, and they are commonly served as a side dish to the main meal. These light refreshing vinegar salads are a great start to any meal as the sourness from the vinegar helps whet your appetite.