Cooking is meditation. On days when you're feeling down, calm your mind with 'Shrimp and Cucumber Cold Dish'.
The texture of cucumbers changes depending on how you cut them, so you can eat them every day without getting bored.
One day, when I got a little tired of thin slices or smashed cucumbers, I tried making cuts in them, and the way the flavors soaked in and the texture were outstandingly delicious.
| Do you know what 'accordion cut' (jabara-giri) is?
The cutting method I'm introducing is a simplified version of the so-called 'accordion cut'.
I suspect there are many people who have never done an accordion cut, or perhaps don't even know what it is... Truth be told, I rarely do it myself either (laughs).
'It seems like a bit of a hassle...'
'Wouldn't thin slices or smashed cucumbers be fine?'
That's what I used to think.
However, I tried this recipe in three patterns: accordion cut, smashed cucumber, and thin slices, andthe deliciousness of the accordion cut won by a landslide! It balances perfectly with the size and crunch of the shrimp.
| It's actually quite fun when you focus on it
It might feel difficult to do an accordion cut when you're not used to it, butif you think of 'cooking as meditation' and focus solely on making cuts in the two cucumbers in front of you, it's actually quite fun.
In fact, it's almost disappointing when you finish with just two... Since I've finally gotten the hang of it, I wonder if I could do even better if I did two more... It's strange how a sense of ambition starts to well up.
So, are you starting to feel like trying an accordion cut?
Well then, let me introduce the recipe right away!
◆ Ingredients (for 2 people)
Salad shrimp: 80g
Cucumbers: 2
Vinegar/Lemon juice: 1 tbsp each
Fish sauce: 1 tsp
Honey: 1 tsp (can substitute with 1/2 tsp sugar)
Garlic: 1 clove
Dried chili pepper: a small amount
◆ How to make
To help the flavors soak in, make cuts in the two cucumbers. First, sandwich the cucumber between two disposable chopsticks. Make cuts until the knife hits the chopsticks.
A traditional accordion cut involves making diagonal cuts on both the front and back of the cucumber. Since we are only doing one side this time, make the cuts perpendicular to the cucumber.
Cut off the ends and slice into 1.5cm pieces. Place the cut cucumbers in a bowl and rub with a little salt (not listed in ingredients). Let sit for 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, add:
Vinegar/Lemon juice: 1 tbsp each
Fish sauce: 1 tsp
Honey: 1 tsp (can substitute with 1/2 tsp sugar)
Garlic: 1 clove
Dried chili pepper: a small amount
and mix well.
If you don't have lemon juice, you can use vinegar as a substitute.
Wipe the moisture off the 80g of salad shrimp with a paper towel, then add them to the bowl and mix well.
Quickly rinse the salted cucumbers with water, squeeze out the excess moisture, and add them to the bowl. Mix well, and it is recommended to chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before eating.
| When your mind feels unsettled, why not try 'meditating through cooking'?
Thank you for reading this far.
Just by using a different cutting method than usual, you'll feel a sense of freshness.
Why not try 'meditation through cooking' precisely when your mind feels unsettled?
Instead of focusing on problems or anxieties, by becoming absorbed in what is right in front of you, you may find unexpected insights. I have had such experiences many times myself.
Because cooking is essential to daily life, if you approach it not just as a chore but as 'time to calm your mind,' the finished dish will taste many times better than usual.
I would be very happy if you could try making it.
