Add zesty flavor and a warm aroma to your Japanese pickles with this easy recipe for Pickled Cucumbers with Ginger. These quick-pickled tsukemono (漬物) make a refreshing palate cleanser and crunchy side dish in your Japanese meal. They‘re delicious with steamed rice!
Happy 2013! I hope everyone had a nice holiday with your loved ones and I’m back from my little break. Despite catching a cold that I am trying to get rid of, I got to spend time with friends that I don’t get to see often and also had a couple of out-of-town guests stay over at my house, which was really nice.
While I need some time to catch up on my work (please give me a few days to respond to your emails), I hope you enjoy these super quick and easy Japanese Pickled Cucumbers.
Japanese pickles, or we call it Tsukemono (漬物) in Japanese, is a really important part of the Japanese meal. One or a few kinds of pickles are always served with rice and enjoyed as a garnish or palate cleanser.
Unlike western style pickles, Japanese pickles are considered as “preserved vegetables” as they are not primarily preserved in vinegar. They are usually preserved in salt (Shiozuke 塩漬け), rice bran (Nukazue 糠漬け), sake lees (Kasuzuke 粕漬け), soy sauce (Shoyuzuke 醤油漬け), vinegar, (Suzuke 酢漬け), and miso (Misozuke 味噌漬け).
Typically cucumber, Daikon (Japanese radish), eggplant, cabbage, Ume (Japanese plum) are used for Japanese pickles.
Today’s pickles are called Asazuke (浅漬け), literally meaning “shallow pickling”. The vegetables are pickled only for a short time between 30 minutes to a couple of hours and usually not as salty as other kinds of Tsukemono. If you don’t like cucumbers, you can also use napa cabbage (hakusai), daikon, and eggplant for Asazuke as well. I put ginger as seasoning today, but you can also use kombu or chili pepper which are also popular seasoning ingredients.
If you are interested in Japanese pickles, I also have another Pickled Cucumbers recipe and Pickled Turnip with Yuzu recipe. Have a nice week!
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Pickled Cucumbers with Ginger
Ingredients
- 3 Japanese or Persian cucumbers (8.8 oz, 250 g)
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (5 g; 2% of the cucumber weight)
- ½ knob ginger (½ inch, 1.3 cm)
Instructions
- Before You Start: Please note that this recipe requires a quick pickling time of 2 hours. Gather all the ingredients.
- Rinse 3 Japanese or Persian cucumbers and cut off both ends.
- Rub the end piece and cut end together until you see the small bubbles. This removes the bitterness from the cucumber. Discard the end pieces.
- Slice the cucumbers.
- Peel ½ knob ginger and cut it into julienne strips.
- Put the sliced cucumbers, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and ginger strips into a resealable plastic bag.
- Remove the air completely and seal the bag.
- Place a heavy object on top of the bag and refrigerate it for 1–2 hours. Here, I sandwiched the resealable bag with two plates and then put a mortar on top. I recommend 3 hours at most, because otherwise it gets too salty. Check the level of saltiness according to your preference. Enjoy!
To Store
- You can keep the pickles in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. When the flavor is getting strong, remove the solution and store the pickles in an airtight container.
Pickled cucumbers are so good. I scratch my head and wonder why I’ve never tried to make them before. I’d eat the entire batch in just a few minutes–seriously!
Welcome back, Nami! I love eating pickles and small side dishes like this. It was like heaven for me to see these every meal while I was in Japan, especially the daikon! hehe. Thanks for sharing! It’s perfect for the hot weather in Perth!
I’m
So happy you’re back! Hopefully you’ll kick that cold ASAP! Pickled cucumbers are the best 🙂
Happy New year my sweet Nami!
I like this
Nami: I absolutely love these! they are so refreshing in between courses of a meal, or just a snack, or as side, or in a sandwich.
Hope you feel 100% soon! These look ore delicately flavored than usual vinegar-based ones.
I have a cold also, it sucks 🙁 These pickles look super tasty, I love anything pickled but have never seen it done this way.
This is a easy pickle recipe for cucumbers. Recently I did a Chinese-style cucumber pickle with garlic, sesame oil, soy, sugar, vinegar and enjoyed it too. I will try your method sometime.
How green and delicious!
I’m intrigued as to how rubbing the cucumbers together removes the bitterness.. I’ll have to try that next time.
I hope you feel better!
Nami, I am making pickled red cabbage today-) How funny it is?-)) Your cucumbers look very crunchy. Tasty appetizer!
We pickle cucumbers all the time but with vinegar. However, I will have to try it your way soon! Hope you feel much better real soon, Nami!
Happy New Year to you too! I also got a cold and have been sick during my holiday but I had a great time meeting family and friends. This is a nice and quick recipe, something to definitely try, to complete a Japanese meal as I understand.
Get well!
Ciao
I love cucumbers, these look so refreshing!