Steamed Bao Buns & Salad

• Prepare the Kombu: To prepare the Kombu, start by bringing around 1 Liter of water to boil in a pot. Place the Kombu pieces in (you may want to cut them up so they can be fully submerged) and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for around 30 minutes, or until Kombu is soft but not rubbery. Remove from pot and slice into thin long strips. Set aside. Note: reserve the cooking liquid, which becomes Kombu dashi broth. 
• Prepare the Vermicelli Noodles: Do as the package instructions — usually this involves soaking in room temperature water (around 10 minutes) and boiling in water (around 2-3 minutes). Strain the noodles and set aside. 
• Prepare the Bean Sprouts: In the same pot of boiling water, blanch the fresh bean sprouts for just 1-2 minutes. Be sure not to overcook them — they should still be crunchy. Strain and set aside. 
• Prepare the Bean Curd: Sliced the bean curd into thin long strips. In the same pot of boiling water, blanch the bean curd for 1 minute. Carefully strain (they are fragile) and set aside. Note: blanch this last as it releases oil & makes your water oily. 
• Assembly: In a large bowl, combine the kombu, vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts and bean curd. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, and sugar. Gently toss to combine. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. 

Stacked Cucumber Salad 

• Salt the Cucumbers: Slice the cucumbers into rounds that are not too thin. Add them to a bowl, season generously with kosher salt, and refrigerate for 20 to 25 minutes to draw out excess moisture. 
• Make the Marinade: In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, cane sugar, garlic, sesame oil, Fresno chile, and salsa macha. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 
• Rinse and Dry: Rinse the cucumbers well under cold water to remove excess salt, then pat completely dry with paper towels. 
• Marinate: Add the dried cucumbers to the marinade, toss to coat evenly, and refrigerate for another 20 to 25 minutes. 
• Stack the marinated cucumber rounds neatly on a serving plate. Spoon the remaining marinade over the top.