Yoko Nakazawa is a cookbook author and pickle expert.
Today, Yoko is showing two types of pickles: Cabbage, carrot and ginger (dry pickle rubbed with salt; radish pickle (with a vinegar and sugar liquid)
She will also show some traditional ways to eat pickles including a typical Japanese breakfast.
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Recipe below:
PINK RADISH AMAZU ZUKE
PICKLING TIME: 3 days
In my family we call this pickle ‘pink’. It’s a great way to brighten up your plate, and the best part – it’s incredibly easy to make.
When preparing it, the radish initially loses its colour, but the colour transfers into the pickling liquid. After a few days, the liquid turns the radish into a beautiful, vibrant pink.
I find the colour is perfect by the third day. You can keep it longer if you want but, interestingly, if you leave it too long the radish colour fades again. Where does the colour go, I wonder?
This pickle uses the natural ‘water’ from the radish itself, so we don’t need to use much vinegar.
You will need
150 g (5 ½ oz) red radishes
4 g sugar (2–3 % of radish weight without leaves)
60 ml (2 fl oz) vinegar
STORAGE: Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
1. Cut the radish leaves off but don’t throw them away – use them in other dishes. If the radishes are large, cut them into bite-sized pieces. If they’re small, you can leave them whole. Depending on the size, I sometimes halve or quarter them.
2. Weigh the radishes to calculate the amount of sugar required.
3. Place the radishes in a clean jar. Sprinkle the sugar over the top, pop the lid on and shake the jar to evenly distribute the sugar.
4. Take the lid off and add the vinegar. Pop the lid back on tightly and turn the jar upside down and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
5. The next day, return the jar to its original upright position so that the top radishes can now soak in the pickling liquid. You can flip the jar upside down as much as you like, or shake it – all of the radishes will be pickled after 3 days.
SPRING CABBAGE, CARROT & GINGER ASAZUKE
PICKLING TIME: 1 hour
You will need
¼ spring cabbage
½ carrot
salt (2 % of vegetable weight)
15 g (½ oz) ginger
5 cm (2 in) square of dried kombu, cut into thin strips (optional)
STORAGE: Store in a clean container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
This asazuke is another dish I frequently prepared at the soba kappo–style restaurant where I used to work. By adding carrot for a pop of colour and a hint of ginger for flavour, this dish remains wonderfully simple.
I often make this asazuke during my workshops, and participants are always surprised at how quickly cabbage transforms into something delicious (many say they’ve never eaten raw cabbage before!).
I enjoy this type of asazuke alongside rich, heavy meals – those with abundant oil or cream.
It helps cleanse the palate, aids digestion and adds valuable dietary fibre to my meal. For an extra boost of umami and flavour, you can include kombu, which will enhance the overall taste, and use shio-koji (fermented rice seasoning) instead of salt for massaging the vegetables.
1. First, weigh the cabbage and carrot to calculate how much salt you will need.
2. Cut or tear the cabbage into small, bite-sized pieces. (Spring cabbage is soft, so you can easily tear it.) Very finely slice the carrot into matchsticks. Finely slice the ginger into matchsticks.
3. Place the vegetables and kombu (if using) in a bowl, then add the salt. Use your hand to gently massage the vegetables (just like kneading dough) for 1–2 minutes.
4. Place a plate on top as a weight.
5. Allow the pickles to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
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