Marinated Cucumber and Sesame Salad

Serves 2

Vegetarian

This recipe is from Delia's Winter Collection.

This very simple little salad makes a nice side dish.

I like to serve it as a nibble before an oriental meal. If you have problems tracking down Japanese ingredients, try www.clearspring.co.uk

The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch the best way to buy and store spices in our cookery school video on this page.

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Method

Begin by toasting the sesame seeds.

Do this by using a small, solid frying pan, pre-heat it over a medium heat, then add the sesame seeds and toast them, moving them around in the pan to brown them evenly. As soon as they begin to splutter and pop and turn golden, they're ready. This will take about 1-2 minutes. Then remove them from the frying pan to a plate.

Next, cut the cucumber in half lengthways, then in quarters and then in eighths. Remove the seeds, chop into small, 1½ inch (4 cm) wedges, then place them in a bowl.

After that, measure the soy sauce, mirin, saké, rice vinegar and sugar into a screw-top jar, shake them together thoroughly, then pour them over the cucumber and leave to marinate for about 1 hour, giving them one good stir at half-time. Just before serving, lightly crush the toasted sesame seeds with a pestle and mortar and sprinkle them over the salad.