Cucumber and Wakame Pickles (Kyuuri to Wakame No Amasuzuke)

This recipe is from a great Japanese food site, Just Hungry. This is a Japanese style instant pickle, not one meant to be preserved like Western style pickles. These sweet and sour and salty pickles should be eaten within a few days, and kept in the refrigerator. This uses the fueru (or kind that just requires soaking) type of wakame

• Ready In: 2 hrs 5 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Marinade

• 8  tablespoons  rice wine vinegar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  dashi powder or 1  piece  kombu seaweed, 4 inches square
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon sea salt
• 4  tablespoons boiling water
• 1  whole  dried red chili pepper (optional)

• Vegetables

• 1  large English cucumber
• 2  tablespoons  dried pre-cut  wakame seaweed

Directions

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a zipper bag or non-metal bowl and shake/ stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Cut cucumber into thick slices or small chunks. Place in marinade along with wakame.
3. Refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight. Pour off marinade to serve.
4. NOTES: Marinade can be reused once, simply boil, let col, and add fresh veggies. Other veggies to try: turnips, carrots, radishes, daikon radishes.