Seaweed & cucumber salad with sesame mustard dressing

• cucumber↗1 medium
• dried wakame (seaweed) or seaweed mix↗2 tbsp tbsp
• tahini↗3 tbsp tbsp
• light brown soft sugar↗2 tsp tsp
• soy sauce↗1 tbsp tbsp
• rice vinegar↗2 tbsp tbsp
• Japanese or English mustard1-3 tsp tsp

  to taste

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and remove the seeds with a spoon. Slice very thinly, about 2mm thick – you can use a slicer or mandoline for this. Add 2 tsp fine sea salt, mix well, then tip into a colander to drain the excess water for 15 mins. Meanwhile, put the seaweed in a bowl of water for 15 mins to soak, ensuring it fully rehydrates and softens.

2. 2

   Drain both the cucumber and seaweed, then squeeze out any remaining excess water thoroughly.

3. 3

   To make the sauce, combine the tahini, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and mustard in a bowl with 1 tbsp water and mix well until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if the sauce is too thick until it reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.

4. 4

   Arrange the cucumber and seaweed on a plate or serving dish and drizzle the sauce over the top. You can add cooked prawns, tofu, poached fish or chicken, if you like.