Nasu to kyuri, myoga no sunomono / Japanese eggplant, cucumber and ginger bud in rice vinegar dressing

A refreshing summer trio! The zesty aroma of a Japanese myoga ginger bud adds a great accent to this sunomono.

<Ingredients>

1 nasu Japanese eggplant
1/2 kyuri cucumber
1 myoga Japanese ginger bud
Salt (to sprinkle on eggplant and cucumber; not in photo)

For sunomono rice vinegar dressing
2 tsp rice vinegar (rice vinegar infused with kombu kelp in photo)
1/2 tsp mirin
1/2 tsp usukuchi soy sauce
Generous pinch sugar


<Directions>
1.

Cut eggplant lengthwise in half, and diagonally slice.

Place in a bowl, sprinkle salt, and mix
 

Let sit for 10 minutes or so.

2.

Sprinkle salt on cucumber, and roll against cutting board.
Rinse off salt, and thinly slice (in matching thickness or slightly thinner than eggplant). 

Place in another bowl, sprinkle salt, mix, and let sit for 10 minutes or so.

3.

Julienne myoga.
First cut lengthwise in half, and julienne.
Set aside.

4.

Meanwhile, mix all ingredients for sunomono dressing, and set aside.

5.

When eggplant and cucumber have let out some water, squeeze out excess water from eggplant and cucumber, and place in a clean (or rinsed) bowl.

Fluff up.

6.

Pour sunomono dressing, and mix well.

Add myoga, and gently mix.

Ready to serve.

<Notes>

• This dish tastes mild in terms of the seasoning. Depending on the size of your eggplant and cucumber, you might want to prepare slightly more dressing for more satisfying flavoring.
• If Japanese eggplant is not available, try Chinese eggplant. 
• If Japanese cucumber is not available, try English cucumber. When using English cucumber, removal of seeds is recommended.
• Only a small amount of salt works to draw out excess water from eggplant and cucumber (I have never measured this, but around 1/4 tsp or less for eggplant and 1/8 tsp or less for cucumber above).