The Closest Eye’z Got To Japan This Week

February 22nd, 2010

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Easy Is As Easy Does Japanese Cucumbers

Truth be told, this recipe came to me years and years ago I think from a television show on the Food Network. I think.

It was such an easy recipe that it stuck in my mind and the first time I tried making it, the product came out so deliciously tasty that it has been in my repertoire of those recipes that just stick in your head. The kind you don’t have to look up the ratio of this to that.

Especially in the late summer when cucumbers are at their most populous in the farmer markets.

Yesterday, though, walking up and down aisles at the Supermarket those cucumbers came into thought as I walked by the saran-wrapped English cukes selling at a buck ninety-nine each.

Of course the regular cucumbers, slicers they are called, were much cheaper and fatter, so I collected 6.

Staples I always keep on hand in my ‘Oriental’ cupboard, are Soy Sauce, Mirin, Rice Vinegar (both kinds), sesame seeds, Black Vinegar, Sake, Shaoxing cooking wine; with that in mind I decided to make my Japanese Cucumber Salad as a side-dish to the other go-to recipe I’ll repeat here as well.

The other go-to doesn’t have pictures because in the flash of the moment when I decided to make them, it was just too painfully intricate to start photographing the shots necessary. (no pun intended)

My Meatballs, Sweet and Sour

So easy it can hardly be called a recipe but here it is anyway:

2 lbs ground sirloin
1 bottle Heinz Chilli Sauce
1 regular bottle Ginger ale.

Season your sirloin the way you are used to: I use grated onion, garlic, salt, pepper, 1 or 2 eggs and panko crumbs. After letting it sit for 20 minutes I begin making meatballs by scooping my fingers into the mixture and pinching together a small softball size of minced meat which I then roll between hands into a meatball. Or the likes of a meatball.

After having created my softballs, I then pour the chilli sauce into a pot, fill the same bottle with Ginger ale, swooshing it to get every last drop of sauce, and then pour it into the pot.

Stir. Gently place meatballs into the sauce and simmer on medium low heat until the balls are cooked and the sauce is somewhat thick. Be careful of splatter; the mixture should just gently simmer because splatter will stain the clothing you are wearing.

Sometimes if I am really inventive, I will add sliced potatoes 15 minutes towards the end of the cooking time especially if I find there is too much sauce and if it is not thickened properly. These potatoes are delicious after having boiled in the sweet and sour sauce.

Japanese Cucumber Salad Easy

2 cucumber, halved and seeded
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoon mirin
Chopped fresh dill
Salt, to taste

Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half and with a spoon scoop out the seeds by simpling running the tip of the spoon over the sink and scraping. Or onto a newspaper which you can then gather and throw into the composting bin.

Slice the cucumbers in 1/4 inch slices.
Mix together the seasoned rice vinegar, mirin, chopped dill and salt to taste. Place in the cucumber slices and you’re done.

When serving them I like to sprinkle toasted sesame seeds; but hey, that’s just me. Remember not too many or you will be squeezing the seeds between your teeth all night long.

I usually jar them in Mason Jars, but you could do it in a glass bowl too. Don’t use stainless steel metal bowls because of the acid vinaigrette and the reactive vs non-reactive ingredients.

Let sit and marinate at least 20 minutes; the cucumbers will release water and shrink but don’t worry it does not affect the overall taste of the salad.