Octopus Salad (Tako Su)
Tako Su or Octopus Salad is a refreshing and tangy appetizer served in izakaya (Japanese tapas or gastropub) restaurants. If you enjoy octopus sashimi, here‘s another fun way to prepare octopus.
Servings: 4
Calories: 40kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ lb octopus sashimi (boiled octopus)
- ⅓ English cucumber (or 1 Japanese cucumber)
- ½ Tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
For the Vinaigrette
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 1½ Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Instructions
- Before You Start…Please note that this recipe requires 30 minutes of chilling time. Gather all the ingredients.
- In a small bowl, soak ½ Tbsp dried wakame seaweed in warm water. Let it soak for 15 minutes. Then, drain and squeeze the liquid out. Set aside.
- Slice ¼ lb octopus sashimi (boiled octopus) very thinly.
- With ⅓ English cucumber, peel the skin lengthwise in a striped pattern, peeling ½ inch (1.3 cm) wide strips alternately with unpeeled sections. With this method, the cucumber slices have some decorative dark green accents and a little bit of extra crunchiness. Cut the cucumber into small pieces (I use the Japanese cutting technique called rangiri).
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette: 3 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 1½ Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, and ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- Add the cucumber, octopus, seaweed, and ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds and toss them all together. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 40 kcal · Carbohydrates: 3 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 1 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 14 mg · Sodium: 107 mg · Potassium: 138 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 2 g · Vitamin A: 69 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 31 mg · Iron: 2 mg