The recipe for Japanese Summer Vegetable Salad that I make every time summer arrives is simple and delicious. It offers a delightful combination of flavors and textures, and provides an abundance of nutrients, making it perfect for enduring the hot summer months.
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What is Japanese Summer Vegetable Salad?
Japanese Summer Vegetable Salad is a dish that incorporates vegetables commonly harvested in Japan during summer. It is made with cucumbers, tomatoes, myoga (Japanese ginger), and shiso leaves (perilla), all tossed with shio kombu (salted kelp).
This dish is very easy to prepare, as all you need to do is cut the vegetables and toss them with shio kombu and sesame oil. The crisp texture of the cucumbers, the vibrant color of the tomatoes, the refreshing flavors of myoga and shiso, and the rich umami of shio kombu come together in a harmonious blend of flavors.
Since it uses unique Japanese ingredients, some of which may be hard to find, it is worth seeking them out to make this salad. Once you try it, you will likely want to make it again and again, just like I do.
Health benefits of summer vegetables
The vegetables used in this salad are rich in nutrients that help you stay refreshed during the hot summer. Their specific benefits are as follows:
- Cucumbers: Provide hydration, help cool the body, aid digestion, are rich in vitamins, and may help prevent high blood pressure.
- Tomatoes: Provide hydration, help cool the body, boost the immune system, and contain antioxidants.
- Myoga: Aids digestion, stimulates appetite, and may help prevent high blood pressure.
- Shiso leaves: Stimulate appetite and have antibacterial properties.
Myoga and shiso are traditional Japanese aromatic vegetables that are considered ideal ingredients for combating hot summer fatigue in Japan. Their distinctive aroma and rich flavor add a delightful touch to the salad.
Enhance the flavor with shio kombu
For flavor, this salad uses shio kombu instead of dressing. Shio kombu is a condiment made by simmering thinly sliced or cubed kombu in traditional Japanese seasonings, then drying it. Can you find it in stores?
If not, you can substitute it with wafu dressing (Japanese salad dressing), but I still recommend using shio kombu, as its rich and unique flavor is truly delightful. You can even make it yourself with kombu that has been soaked in water or already used to make dashi stock. I highly recommend giving it a try-it is definitely worth the effort.
To learn more about how to make shio kombu, please refer to the linked page.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tomato
- 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers (If using Persian cucumbers, increase the quantity by about 1.5 times, as they are smaller.)
- 2 myoga (Japanese ginger)
- 10 shiso leaves (perilla)
- 0.42 oz shio kombu (salted kelp)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
🕒 Total: 10 mins
Step 1
Cut tomato into wedges. Cut cucumber and myoga in half lengthwise, then slice them diagonally into thin pieces. Remove the stems from shiso leaves, and cut the leaves into thin strips along the veins.
Step 2
Put all the cut vegetables (tomato, cucumber, myoga, and shiso) in a bowl, add shio kombu and sesame oil, and toss them together. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
To store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please consider leaving a review and star rating in the comments below. If you enjoyed it, I’d really appreciate it if you shared it with your friends.
Recipe card
Japanese Summer Vegetable Salad with Shio Kombu
Ingredients
- 1 tomato
- 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers (If using Persian cucumbers, increase the quantity by about 1.5 times, as they are smaller.)
- 2 myoga (Japanese ginger)
- 10 shiso leaves (perilla)
- 0.42 oz shio kombu (salted kelp)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Cut tomato into wedges. Cut cucumber and myoga in half lengthwise, then slice them diagonally into thin pieces. Remove the stems from shiso leaves, and cut the leaves into thin strips along the veins.
- Put all the cut vegetables (tomato, cucumber, myoga, and shiso) in a bowl, add shio kombu and sesame oil, and toss them together. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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