Shrimp and Rice Pillboxes

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Steamed Rice
2 ea Cucumbers, halved
2 tbsp Salt
4 1/2 cups Water
1 ea Konbu
6 ea jumbo Shrimp
2 tbsp Sake
1 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Mirin

DIRECTIONS:

1) Trim the cucumber halves, using a citrus zester, cut fine peel strips on the cucumber skin lengthwise, retain the peels. Chop peels very finely and reserve for later.

2) Using a corer cut a net round hole down the center of each cucumber half.

3) Combine the salt, water and Konbu. Soak the hollow cucumbers in the water mixture for 30 minutes. Remove the cucumbers, drain, and allow them to dry.

4) Devein the jumbo shrimp. Mix the sake, sugar, Mirin and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. When the shrimp is cool enough to work with, remove them, and fine dice the flesh.

5) Fold the chopped cucumber peel and shrimp into the rice.

6) Stuff the rice mixture firmly into the holes in the cucumber halves and slice them into 1/2 inch rounds. Serve with Wasabi and Soy sauce, or any other appropriate sauce.