It's easy to create a colourful rainbow of different Tsukemono - 'Pickled things' to accompany your Japanese inspired meal. You can also choose from a great range in Asian supermarkets.
The finely sliced vegetables glisten in their dishes like the reflections in a cluster of bubbles and are sweet and
zesty as they dance across your tongue.
Most vegetables lend themselves well for pickling, especially sweet root vegetables such as radish, daikon, beetroot
and carrots. Even crisp brassicas such as cauliflower, broccoli and various cabbage, but avoid soft leafy greens.
I simply create a dressing to taste using quality vinegar, lemon, lime or other tangy citrus juices.
Sugar, from cane, palm sugars, honey or syrups can all be substituted and finally add some salt or salty flavour from
fish sauce. Chilli, pepper and other spices add more punch to the pickles and the options are limitless. You can also
use fruit, pineapples, apples, pear and stone fruit all work well as a refreshing pickled bite, as with Indian raitas
and condiments.
The thinner the vegetables are sliced and the longer they are left in the acidic dressing the softer they become. I
prefer mine still a little crunchy so I make the Tsukemono just a few hours before serving, but you can make them up a
couple of days beforehand and store them in the refrigerator.
Here's a few of our favourites...
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- Finely grated beetroot steeped and pickled in a mixture of Apple cider vinegar and toasted cumin seeds, with raw
sugar and salt to taste.
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- Thinly peeled carrot ribbons tossed with chives or spring onions and dressed with rice wine vinegar, palm sugar and
fish sauce to taste.
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- Thinly sliced cucumber and chilli with white wine vinegar, castor sugar and salt to taste.
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- Sliced sweetly pickled Gherkins or Baby Cornichon
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- Paper thin slices of fresh ginger root steeped in a sweet wine, such as Sherry or Port.
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Of course every country has their own favourite or traditional take on pickled vegetables. England - Pickled Onions,
Korea - Kim-chi, Germany - Sauerkraut, Israel - Hamutzim. Don't be afraid to mix it up a little!
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