Here’s part two of our Blog on Tsukemono
type pickles from Japan.
These are great for eating plain or a side dish,
a condiment, or mixed with plain rice!
Listed below are recipes that have been modified from the traditional form for the USA consumer as some ingredients are hard to find.
What is Tsukemono?
Tsukemono (漬物?, literally “pickled things”) are Japanese style preserved vegetables (usually pickled in salt, brine, or a bed of nuka rice bran). Many are served with rice as an okazu (side dish), with drinks as an otsumami (snack), as an accompaniment to or garnish for meals, and as a course in the kaiseki portion of a Japanese tea ceremony.
| Type | Kanji | Pickling Ingredient |
|---|---|---|
| Shiozuke | 塩漬け | salt |
| Suzuke | 酢漬け | vinegar |
| Amasuzuke | 甘酢漬け | sugar and vinegar |
| Misozuke | 味噌漬け | miso |
| Shoyuzuke | 醤油漬け | soy sauce |
| Kasuzuke | 粕漬け | sake kasu (sake lees) |
| Koji | 塩麹 | malted rice |
| Nukazuke | 糠漬け | rice bran |
| Karashizuke | からし漬け | hot mustard |
| Satozuke | 砂糖漬け | sugar |
Today we’ll look at some new recipes that you can make at home. Place in the refrigerator and they can last for weeks…
Shibadsuke –
Sliced cucumber and tree ear mushroom salted and pickled with red shiso.
To make yourself, use any hearty mushroom that will hold it’s shape.
– Start by cutting fresh cucumber in half, removing the seeds and skin, then cut into thin strips.
– Soak the mushrooms, if dried, in enough water to cover. Once soft cut into thin strips. We used shiitake mushrooms.
– Bring the required amount(dependent on batch size) of rice wine vinegar to a boil, remove from heat, and add the shiso leaf and mushrooms. Allow to simmer until colour turns red and taste develops. If you don’t have shiso leaf try a Japanese shop or grow your own. You may be able to find the leaf already pickled, too.
– Remove from heat and add the cucumber slices. Mix together.
Add sea salt to taste. Allow mixture to set covered with vinegar at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Then pack into jars and keep in refrigerator. Will keep for a month or more if kept cold and under brine. Hint: Add a little extra vinegar if liquid is not enough.
Here’s a photo of our results…
Sesame & Kombu –
– Start by washing the kombu and soaking until soft.
– With the kombu soaking, make a dashi broth by bringing the amount of water needed to a boil. Once water boils, remove from heat and add bonito flakes (a type of dried fish, shaved very thin). For good flavor you’ll want about a 1/2oz per 4 cups water. Once flakes the are steeped, strain liquid to remove the flakes. We like to eat the fish flakes, so they don’t have to be removed.
– Cut the kombu into thin strips
– Place the cut kombu into the broth and add sugar and soy sauce to taste.
– Allow to simmer until liquid concentrates then add the sesame seeds at the end. Adjust sugar and soy as needed, to taste.
Allow mixture to set covered with vinegar at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Then pack into jars and keep in refrigerator. Will keep for a month or more if kept cold and under brine.
Here’s a photo of our results…
Ginger & Kombu –
The same as making the sesame and kombu recipe but with the use of ginger root verse sesame seeds.
– With the kombu soaking, make a dashi broth by bringing the amount of water needed to a boil. Once water boils, remove from heat and add bonito flakes(a type of dried fish, shaved very thin). For good flavor you’ll want about a 1/2oz per 4 cups water. Once flakes the are steeped, strain liquid to remove the flakes. We like to eat the fish flakes, so they don’t have to be removed.
– Cut the kombu into thin strips
– Place the cut kombu into the broth and add sugar, sliced or grated ginger and soy sauce to taste. Note: ginger root is strong to taste so not much is needed.
– Allow to simmer until liquid concentrates. Adjust sugar and soy as needed, to taste.
Allow mixture to set covered with vinegar at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Then pack into jars and keep in refrigerator. Will keep for a month or more if kept cold and under brine.
Fuki Sansho –
A hint of Japanese pepper tree seed.
The method is the same to simmer the plant in sugar and soy sauce.
The recipe is finished with a hint of strong pepper, like schezwan pepper.
Experiment with this one and see how it goes!
More recipes for Japanese cultured foods
See more at our main site – organic-cultures.com
