
‘Asazuke’, Japanese Quick Pickled Vegetables, is very popular. It can be prepared quickly and easily, but many people use store-bought brine called ‘Asazuke No Moto’. ‘Asazuke’ can be prepared with Salt only, but it taste much better with some additional ingredients that adds Umami. This is how I make ‘Asazuke’. It is a great side dish for Japanese style dinner.
Makes
4 Servings
Ingredients
250g Vegetables *I used Cabbage, Cucumber and Carrot
*Other suggestions include Daikon (White Radish), Wombok, Turnip, Celery, etc.
Brine
5g (1 teaspoon) Salt *2% of the weight of Vegetable(s)
1/4 teaspoon Dashi Powder *Kombu (Kelp) OR Katsuo (Bonito)
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Water
*Note: If you like sour flavour, you can add 2-3 teaspoons Rice Vinegar. I usually don’t add Vinegar.
Additional Ingredients
1 small piece Ginger *cut into fine strips
1 Dried Chilli OR some Chilli Flakes
1 small piece Dried Kombu
Yuzu Peel *cut into fine strips
Toasted Sesame Seeds *add just before serving
Shiso *thinly sliced, add just before serving
Method
- Cut all vegetables into the size that is easy to eat. Some vegetables take longer time to get pickled and some vegetables get pickled very quickly. Cut them accordingly. *Note: Today I cut Cabbage into 2-3cm pieces, Cucumber into 3mm thick sliced and Carrot into thin strips.
- To marinate, you need a right size container and a weight, but I have found a ziplock bag is the easiest method. Place the vegetables in the reusable bag. Combine all the Brine ingredients and add to the vegetables, mix to combine well, then remove the air. Squeeze the bag a few times to add pressure to the vegetables.
- Marinate in a cool place OR fridge for 30 minutes for leafy vegetables OR a few hours for root vegetables such as Daikon and Carrot. Discard the brine before serve. I sprinkled with some Toasted Sesame Seeds today.
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