Onion salad is popular all over the world, and it's also a favorite dish in Japan. Japanese-style Onion Salad is typically served with shaved bonito flakes and traditional Japanese seasonings. Give it a try and compare it to your usual onion salad!
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What is Japanese-style Onion Salad?
Japanese-style Onion Salad is a salad in Japan that consists of thinly sliced onions dressed with ponzu or soy sauce. It is often topped with bonito flakes. The combination of onions, ponzu or soy sauce, and shaved bonito flakes is incredibly harmonious, enhancing each other's flavors. It's a refreshing dish that allows you to savor a light and crisp taste.
About the onions to use
Any type of onion can be used in Japanese-style onion salad, but regular onions have a strong flavor when eaten raw. Therefore, if you can find a milder variety of onion in your area, I recommend using it instead.
In Japan, seasonal onions with lower pungency are often used during the spring, while regular onions are used in other seasons. In particular, if you are using onions that are highly pungent, I suggest following these methods to reduce their pungency.
How to reduce the pungency of onions
After slicing the onions, you can reduce their pungency by following these steps:
• Massage with salt.
Sprinkle salt over the onions, massage them, and let them sit for 5-10 minutes. Then rinse them under running water.
• Massage with sugar.
Sprinkle sugar over the onions, massage them, and let them sit for 5-10 minutes. Then rinse them under running water.
• Soak in vinegar water.
Soak the onions in water with vinegar added for 5-10 minutes. There is no need to rinse afterward.
If you want to fully reduce the pungency of the onions, you can massage them with salt or sugar, and then soak them in vinegar water.
Other methods include boiling the onions quickly or heating them in the microwave for a short time, but I think these methods are not suitable for onion salads because they will also spoil the crisp texture. Therefore, I recommend using the above methods to reduce the pungency.
Also, cutting the onions against the fiber makes it easier to reduce their pungency. However, cutting along the fiber provides a better texture, so it's up to your preference to prioritize either the texture or reducing the pungency.
Ingredients that can be added
Japanese-style onion salad can be enjoyed not only with onions and shaved bonito flakes but also with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, daikon radish sprouts, mitsuba leaves (Japanese parsley), tuna, nori seaweed, green onions (scallions), shiso leaves (Japanese herb), and more. Adding these ingredients will enhance the visual appeal as well, so feel free to use them according to your preference.
Ingredients
- ½ (4oz./110g) onion
for prepping onions
- ⅓ tsp salt or sugar
- ⅘ cups (200ml) water
- 2 tsp vinegar
for dressing and toppings
- 2 tsp ponzu (which can be substituted with half soy sauce and half rice vinegar)
- 1 Tbsp (0.035oz./1g) shaved bonito flakes
Step-by-step instructions
🕒 Total 15 mins
Depending on the pungency of the onions and your preference, either perform both Steps 2 and 3 or choose only one of them.
Step 1
Remove the core of the onion and slice it thinly to a thickness of 0.04-0.08 inches (0.1-0.2 mm) using a knife or slicer.
Step 2 (optional)
Sprinkle salt or sugar over the sliced onions and massage them. Arrange them in a way that they don't overlap as much as possible, and let them sit for 5-10 minutes. Then, rinse them in a colander under running water and drain off the excess moisture.
Step 3 (optional)
Mix water and vinegar in a bowl, add the sliced onions, and let them soak for 5-10 minutes. Then drain the mixture in a colander (you don't need to rinse the onions under running water).
Step 4
Serve the onions on a plate with ponzu and shaved bonito flakes.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips on how to make
- Slice the onions thinly to a thickness of 0.04-0.08 inches (0.1-0.2 mm). This will help reduce the pungency of the onions.
- If you can find onions that are less pungent, use them. You can make Japanese-style onion salad with regular onions, but the milder ones are easier to eat.
Recipe Card
Japanese-style Onion Salad
Ingredients
- ½ (4oz./110g) onion
for prepping onions
- ⅓ tsp salt or sugar
- ⅘ cups (200ml) water
- 2 tsp vinegar
for dressing and toppings
- 2 tsp ponzu (which can be substituted with half soy sauce and half rice vinegar)
- 1 Tbsp (0.035oz./1g) shaved bonito flakes
Instructions
- Remove the core of the onion and slice it thinly to a thickness of 0.04-0.08 inches (0.1-0.2 mm) using a knife or slicer.
- (Optional) Sprinkle salt or sugar over the sliced onions and massage them. Arrange them in a way that they don't overlap as much as possible, and let them sit for 5-10 minutes. Then, rinse them in a colander under running water and drain off the excess moisture.
- (Optional) Mix water and vinegar in a bowl, add the sliced onions, and let them soak for 5-10 minutes. Then drain the mixture in a colander (you don't need to rinse the onions under running water).
- Serve the onions on a plate with ponzu and shaved bonito flakes.
Notes
- Depending on the pungency of the onions and your preference, either perform both Steps 2 and 3 or choose only one of them.
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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