Uzaku Recipe: Refreshing Japanese Eel and Cucumber Salad

🐍 Uzaku: Glaze-Grilled Eel with Pickled Cucumber（うざく）

🍽️ What is Uzaku?

Uzaku consists of Unagi Kabayaki (glaze-grilled eel) served over cucumbers marinated in a sweet vinegar sauce. While eels might look like snakes, they are actually fish with a unique life cycle—growing in rivers and spawning in the sea.

The Flavor Profile: The “Kabayaki” style involves grilling the eel with a fragrant sauce of dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. The richness of the eel surprisingly complements the crisp, acidic taste of the cucumber.
Availability: Once a rare luxury, advances in farming have made eel more accessible, though it remains a special treat. Most people purchase it pre-processed as kabayaki from supermarkets.

Trivia 💡

“Frozen Unagi Kabayaki” is often sold in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets (such as H Mart and Mitsuwa), complete with sauce.
Thawing and reheating tips: I microwave it for a few minutes at home. If using it for uzaku, let it cool before use, as the sourness will disappear if it’s warm.
Eel Flavor: It has a very rich, fatty texture. The flesh is soft and fluffy, and the skin is fragrant.
Substitutes: Anago kabayaki is relatively inexpensive compared to regular unagi kabayaki. “Kabayaki sauce,” which can be purchased at supermarkets, is also popular. For vegetarians, it is also recommended to use fish paste such as hanpen (fish cake) or chikuwa (fish cake), tofu, or eggplant.

📅 The Tradition: Doyo no Ushi no Hi (Midsummer Day of the Ox)

Doyo no Ushi no Hi (Day of the Ox during the Doyo period) refers to the specific “Ox days” that occur during the four Doyo periods throughout the year (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter). While most famous in summer, there are actually 5 to 7 such days every year.

Annual Details

The Frequency of Doyo: There are four Doyo periods per year, each lasting about 18 days immediately before the start of each season (First Day of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter).
Occurrence of Ox Days: Since the Ox day cycles every 12 days, it occurs once or twice (the second one is called Ni-no-Ushi) during each 18-day Doyo period.
Summer Doyo: This is the most well-known period, occurring around July 19th to August 6th. Years with two Ox days during this time are common.
2025 Statistics: In 2025, there were a total of 7 days: Jan 20, Feb 1, Apr 26, Jul 19, Jul 31, Oct 23, and Nov 4.

Cultural Tidbits

It is a famous tradition to eat eel (unagi) or other foods starting with the letter “U” on the Summer “Doyo no Ushi no Hi” to build stamina and survive the intense hea

Regional Styles:
- Kansai (West): Eel is sliced open from the belly.
- Kanto (East): Eel is sliced from the back and steamed before grilling to make it extra tender.
Health Benefits: High in calories, protein, and Retinol (Vitamin A), eel is the perfect functional food for building physical strength and recovering from fatigue

🍱Popular Ways to Eat Eel

Unajyu: The most popular method—eel rice boxes served in lacquered containers.
Umaki: A delicious Japanese egg roll (omelet) with unagi kabayaki tucked inside.
Uzaku: This refreshing cucumber salad, often served as an appetizer.

📊 Nutrition Facts: Uzaku

For cucumbers that are rubbed with salt and then squeezed, we calculate the nutrition assuming 50% of the salt is absorbed.

[Total: 2 Servings]

Calories: 222 kcal
Protein: 15.0 g
Total Fat: 12.7 g
Total carbohydrates: 13.0 g
Salt: 2.6 g

[Per Serving: 1 Person]

Calories: 111 kcal
Protein: 7.5 g
Total Fat: 6.4 g
Total carbohydrates: 6.5 g
Salt: 1.3 g

🥗 Ingredients (2SERVINGS): Uzaku

Cucumber: 100g
Salt: 2g (for prepping)
☆ Vinegar: 18g
☆ Sugar: 7g
☆ Light soy sauce: 4g
Unagi kabayaki (Glaze-grilled eel): 60g
Ginger: 4g

🥗 How to Make Uzaku

Slice cucumbers into 2mm thickness.
Rub salt into cucumbers, wait 10 minutes, and squeeze out the water.
Mix vinegar, sugar, and light soy sauce (☆) and microwave for 20 seconds.
Soak the cucumbers in this marinade.
Cut the Unagi kabayaki (glaze-grilled eel) into 1cm pieces.
Slice ginger into thin strips (needle ginger).
Plate the cucumbers, top with the eel, and garnish with ginger.

📖Related Link: Read the Japanese version of this article here! [うざく（鰻の蒲焼ときゅうりの酢の物）]　

naokoan

Hi, I’m Naoko! I am a licensed Registered Dietitian in Japan, currently working in a hospital setting. My daily mission is to provide nutritious, healing meals to patients, ensuring that every dish supports their health and brings a smile to their face. My recipes are more than just cooking guides—they are built on scientific nutritional balance and clinical experience. Why I provide ingredients in grams (g): You might notice that all my recipes use precise gram measurements. This is because, as a dietitian, I believe that accuracy is the key to true health management. Whether you are tracking calories, managing salt intake, or simply want to recreate the exact flavor of a professional hospital kitchen, these measurements ensure your success and well-being. My Specialty: I specialize in high-pressure cooking and oven recipes that save time without sacrificing nutrition. My goal is to introduce the world to “Real Japanese Home Cooking”—dishes that are simple, budget-friendly, and body-friendly. I’m thrilled to share the wisdom of Japanese nutrition with you. Let’s cook our way to a healthier life!