3 refreshing side dishes to beat the heat! Umeboshi Sesame Cucumber Salad 🥒 1. Slice one cucumber 2. Salt and set aside to allow some moisture to be drawn out 3. Rinse cucumbers and pat dry 4. Season with sesame oil, umeboshi paste (i used like 1/2 tbsp), and toasted sesame seeds Eggplant Agebitashi 🍆 1. Quarter a small eggplant and add slits into the skin side 2. Combine about 3/4 cups dashi with about 2-3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sake, 2 tbsp mirin. Bring to a simmer 3. Flash fry the eggplant slices for 2-3 minutes depending on their thickness 4. Let the marinade cool before adding to the eggplants. Tomato Ohitashi 🍅 1. Cut a shallow x into REGULAR sized tomatoes (don’t be a fool like me) 2. Bring water to a bowl and blanch the tomato/tomatoes for <30 seconds 3. Transfer to an ice bath 4. Peel the skin off the tomato/tomatoes 5. Season to taste with dashi, rice vinegar, and soy sauce  #eggplantagebitashi #tomatoohitashi #umeboshicucumber #japanesefood #japaneserecipes