Kombu Cured Flounder with Curry-su
Recipe by Tetsuro Takanashi, Sushi-Ko, Washington DC

Yield: 4 servings

• One 8-ounce Flounder filet
• 1 sheet dried Kombu large enough to cover filet (Kombu is a seaweed that is sundried and folded into sheets.)
• 1 Japanese cucumber
• 1 ounce dried Wakame
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon chives, chopped

Sauce

• 1 Tablespoon Dashi (A soup stock made with dried bonito tuna flakes, can be bought in dry and liquid concentrate forms.)
• 1 Tablespoon plain yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• ½ Tablespoon rice vinegar

Sprinkle flounder with half the salt, soften the Kombu sheet in cold water for several minutes and pat dry, lay the Kombu over the flounder filet and press down gently, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove and discard Kombu, sprinkle filet with vinegar

Combine the Wakame with 2 cups of cold water, let stand 30 minutes and drain. Thinly slice cucumber on a mandoline and toss with remaining salt, let stand 10 minutes then squeeze out excess water.

Combine all ingredients for the sauce and mix well making sure there are no lumps.

To serve, place small equal piles of cucumber and Wakame in 4 small shallow bowls, spoon sauce into each dish then lean 2 thin slices of flounder against the cucumber and Wakame. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve.

Wine Suggestion:
A Puligny-Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive or Etienne Sauzet