How To Make Japanese Pickled Cucumbers and Pickled Ginger

February 11, 2014

Pickles are an essential in Japanese cuisine. They are used in a variety of ways, such as to add seasoning to a dish, to aid digestion, and as a palette cleanser between dishes; this is the most common use of pickled ginger - you will often see if served up at sushi restaurants, where you should eat a small piece between each different type of sushi. This is so you experience the full flavour of each fish, without the previous one tainting the flavour.

We have a huge range of ready made pickles at SushiSushi, including ginger, cucumber, radish and ume, which are delicious as a simple dish on their own or served with a bowl of rice. They are always handy to keep in the cupboard. If you'd like to try your hand at making your own, here's a simple recipe!

You Will Need

• 1 Whole Cucumber OR
• 1 Thumb of Ginger
• 1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1/3 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Granulated White Sugar
• 1/4 Tbsp Sesame Oil

Method

• If making pickled cucumber, cut in half lengthways and remove the soft, seeded area with a spoon. Now cut into 2 inch strips. You can then cut into smaller rounds if you prefer.
• If making pickled ginger, remove the skin, then cut into a thin julienne. 
• Pour all the ingredients bar the veggies into a bowl and mix together well until all the sugar has dissolved.
• Place the cucumber or ginger in a ziploc bag, or a jar, pour on the liquor then seal.
• Refrigerate for about 8 hours, then pour away the liquid. The pickles should keep for about a week in the fridge.

Serve with rice or on top of katsu curry!