Cucumber salad gets an upgrade thanks to shrimp, tomatoes, and seaweed.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 6 cups water
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 pound extra-large (26/30 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 english cucumber
• 3 tablespoons dehydrated cut wakame seaweed
• 12 cherry tomatoes (4 to 5 ounces), halved
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Whisk together vinegar, water, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium, stirring occasionally. Immediately remove saucepan from heat when mixture comes to a boil; transfer mixture to a heatproof container. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. When cold, whisk in sesame oil.
2. Bring hot water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Add shrimp to boiling water, and cook until opaque, about 1 minute. Transfer shrimp to ice water using a slotted spoon, and let stand until chilled, about 5 minutes. Set hot shrimp cooking water aside.
3. While water comes to a boil, slice cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out seeds from middle of cucumber. Cut cucumber into 1/8-inch-thick slices by hand or using a mandoline. Place sliced cucumber in a medium bowl. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and toss well until salt granules are no longer visible, about 30 seconds; let stand for 10 minutes.
4. While cucumber slices stand, stir wakame into reserved hot shrimp water in saucepan; let stand until softened and malleable, about 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with cold water, and drain; repeat rinsing and draining process 3 times. Squeeze out excess moisture using hands, and set aside.
5. Rinse cured cucumbers with cold water, and drain in a colander. Arrange cucumbers in an even layer on paper towels; roll up, jelly roll-style, to remove excess moisture from cucumbers. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. To serve, toss together cucumbers, wakame, and tomatoes on a rimmed serving platter or in a shallow bowl. Arrange shrimp on top, and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds.