Japanese Pickles Recipes

JAPANESE-STYLE PICKLED CUCUMBER (SUNOMONO)

Steps:

• Place Persian cucumbers in a bowl; add salt and mix well. Let sit until cucumbers release their juices, about 10 minutes. Squeeze excess juice from cucumbers and drain.
• Whisk rice vinegar, white sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil together in a bowl until sugar is dissolved; pour over cucumbers. Marinate for 30 minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds.

JAPANESE PICKLED WATERMELON RIND

Steps:

• Combine apple cider vinegar and soy sauce in a bowl. Stir in salt and sugar; continue mixing until completely dissolved.
• Press the cut pieces of watermelon rind into a 16-ounce Mason jar. Pour pickling liquid over watermelon rinds. Seal and refrigerate overnight for best results.

JAPANESE PICKLE ROLL (HANDROLL, TEMAKISUSHI)

Steps:

• Just before rolling sushi, toast the nori by passing the shiny side over a high flame. The color of the nori will change from brownish black to dark green. (Without toasting, the nori will be gummy and hard to chew.) Cut toasted nori sheets in half crosswise.
• Lay a 1/2 a sheet of the nori, shiny side down on a counter. Combine the rice vinegar and water in a bowl, and moisten your hands with this hand vinegar to keep the rice from sticking to your hands as you work. Spread about 1 cup of the sushi rice on 3/4 of the nori closest to you, in a layer about 1/4 inch thick, spreading it to the edges. Lay 1/4 of the pickle slices across the center of the nori. Roll gently, using the fingers and palms of both hands. Eat immediately, without cutting, and serve the soy sauce as a dipping sauce. Yield: 4 servings, 4 rolls
• VARIATION: CONES
• As a variation, roll the nori, rice and ingredients into a cone shape and serve with dipping sauce.

JAPANESE PICKLED CUCUMBER

Steps:

• Place cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Rinse cucumbers under cold water to remove salt.
• Mix together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve.
• Pour over cucumbers.
• Marinate cucumbers overnight in refrigerator in sealed container.

JAPANESE PICKLED CARROTS

Steps:

• Boil water in a medium pot and add about a heaped teaspoon of salt.
• In a large porcelain bowl, place the 3 ingredients, rice vinegar, mirin and sesame oil.
• In a separate bowl, grate carrots with a mandolin, about an inch in length.
• When the water starts bubbling, add in the grated carrots to blanch.
• Count to 10.
• Remove carrots and drain.
• Toss carrots into bowl with the 3 ingredients and mix well.
• Add sesame seeds and toss again.
• Let it cool to room temperature.
• Squeeze them into a few medium size jars with the remaining juice.
• Keep refrigerated.
• Stays crunchy and fresh for months!