Cucumber Tsukemono with Ginger (Japanese Pickled Cucumber)

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel the 20 g ginger root and cut it into fine matchsticks.

   Uses 20 g ginger root

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Remove the seeds and pith from the dried red chili pepper (1), then cut it into thin rings.

   Uses 1 dried red chili pepper (deseeded)

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Wash the 300 g cucumbers. Sprinkle the separate 1 tsp coarse rubbing salt on a clean board and roll the cucumbers over it to lightly roughen their skins.

   Uses 300 g Japanese cucumber · 1 tsp coarse salt for rubbing cucumber · Clean water as needed to wash and rinse the cucumbers

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Rinse the rubbing salt off the cucumbers from step 3 and pat them dry with kitchen paper. If you chose English cucumber, halve it lengthways and remove the seeds now.

   Uses The salt-rubbed cucumbers, with the rubbing salt rinsed away · Clean water as needed to wash and rinse the cucumbers

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Tap the clean, dried cucumbers from step 4 gently with a rolling pin or a water-filled bottle until they crack slightly. Keep them intact enough to cut, without crushing them to a pulp.

   Uses clean dried cucumbers

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Cut the lightly cracked cucumbers from step 5 into bite-sized pieces.

   Uses lightly cracked cucumbers

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Put the cucumber pieces from step 6, ginger from step 1 and chili from step 2 into a clean sealable food bag. Add the separate 1 tsp marinade sea salt, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar, 1 tsp koikuchi soy sauce and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil.

   Uses bite-sized cucumber pieces · julienned ginger · thinly sliced dried chili · 1 tsp sea salt for marinade · 2 tbsp sugar (white or light cane) · 1 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) · 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) · 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (don’t substitute with neutral oil)

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Gently massage the bag from step 7 for about 30–60 seconds until the seasonings are mixed and the sugar is dissolving. Press out the air and seal the bag.

   Uses cucumbers and pickling marinade in the bag

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Lay the sealed bag from step 8 flat so the cucumbers sit in a single layer. Place a light plate on top and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Leave overnight in the refrigerator if you prefer a stronger flavor.

   Minimum refrigerated pickling time · 60 minUses sealed cucumber pickle bag

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Lift the pickled cucumbers, ginger and chili from the bag in step 9, letting excess liquid drain, and serve chilled. Sprinkle with the optional 1 pinch toasted white sesame seeds if desired. Keep any remaining pickles with their liquid in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.

    Uses Pickled vegetables, lightly drained for serving · 1 pinch toasted white sesame seeds (optional garnish) · Any remaining pickles and their liquid, kept refrigerated