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!
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
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.
Happy New Year. If you use eggplant instead do you use it raw?
Thanks.
Hi Leigh! Yes you use raw eggplant. You can soak chopped eggplant in salt water (like 1 cup water + 1 tsp salt) for 5-10 minutes and squeeze water out before you mix all ingredients together. Hope that helps! 🙂
What a refreshing recipe. I really love pickled cucumbers.
Such a refreshing recipe Nami. But then there is little you that is not tempting. Lovely!
Looking forward to your next post, I don’t like cucumbers so I better skip this one.
I love pickled cucumbers, but still haven’t tried the ones pickled with ginger. My husband will love these:)
I didn’t realise rubbing it together will remove bitterness. That’s a quick and simple tip!!
Yummy! Pickled cucumbers! I can munch on a big plate of this. The fresh ginger adds really nice touch to it. Hope you get over your cold real soon, Nami.
I always thought Japanese pickles used a little vinegar and have never heard of shallow pickling. It looks so easy and I know the results are delicious. It’s hard to go wrong with pickled cucumbers.
So simple but so great tasting. I just recently started liking pickled stuff (didn’t use to; not sure why). I mean I didn’t hate them, I just never thought about them. Only until a few years ago the I started to REALLY like the flavour. Good recipe 🙂
Happy New Year Nami, hope you enjoy your break…!!!
Pickle cucumber is one of all time Fave, the crunch is totally won me!
I normally make mine with additional chili and i think i shld give it a go your recipe, its new to me.
Hmmm lovely – crunchy and refreshing. I didn’t realize there are different kinds of cucumber. We usually have cucumber as condiments and serve it with thai chili and shallots. Hope you’re feeling better.
I love cucumbers, and these look very delicious. Hope you feel better soon!!!! xo
I love trying out new ways to season and eat cucumbers. I love them with wine vinegar, dill, just salt and pepper and well this way looks quite great, I will try it out!
I love reading about new ways to prepare food on your blog that I wouldn’t have thought of before! I thought all pickles were just vinegar-soaked. Awesome recipe 🙂