Shiso Cucumber Pickles

Now that cucumbers are everywhere I like to make Japanese pickles out of them. The easiest recipe is to just cut them into bite-size pieces, put into a plastic bag with some salt, massage the bag and voila. It couldn't get any easier and we love the freshness of these pickles.

This version is just as simple but instead of salt I use dried red shiso leaves, also called yukari. Not only does the pack contain dried red shiso leaves but there is also salt in the pack. The color of the dark purple is a nice contrast to the cucumbers and the flavor of the shiso is perfect for juicy cucumbers. Yukari is sold in a small pack, often found at 100 yen shops if you live in Japan. The dried green shiso leaves also work well with this recipe.