Japanese Pickles?

Question

Had these a few times at a Japanese restrurant and love them, but don't know how. Tried a search, but they don't sound like the ones I had there with cucumbers, carrots and cabbage. Kinda of wilted and a great crunch and texture. Could anyone help:?

Answer 1

If you can find Japanese cucumbers (usually small and have a slightly different taste from regular cucumbers) get those, otherwise, just regular cucumbers.  Buy cabbage (either already shredded or, better, a head of cabbage and shred it yourself (much fresher).  And shred up some carrots.  Toss them together in a big bowl (glass is best since it won't react to the juices).  Pour on a lot of salt--like, a LOT, and toss the veggies around so all of them get salty.  Put a plate that fits inside the bowl over the veggies, then put a weight on top of the plate (a gallon bottle of water will work).  The idea is that the salt will draw out a lot of the water in the veggies as it pickles them and the plate-with-weight will squeeze the veggies.  Leave in the frig overnight.  The next day, squeeze out as much of the water as possible (dump the water).  Rinse the veggies in clean water to remove any residual salt.  Taste it--if too salty, soak on plain water for an hour or more (taste until it tastes better).  That's the simpliest way to make tsukemono (japanese pickles).  You can also make japanese pickles using miso paste.  Another kind you use an oatmeal mixed with beer fermentation or sake dregs and sink the veggies in the stuff (it's quite stinky and feels like mud) and leave it in a cool place (frig is easiest but you'll need to cover tightly) for a couple of days.  There is are rice vinegar pickles too.  Probably some others I can't remember now.  But the salt one is simple and can be done overnight and you can get most of the ingredients at your local grocer (oh, and you can add red peppers to spice it up if you like, or soy sauce right before eating).

Answer 2

As Inundated said the recipe is good.  When I do mine at the end after of his recipe I marinate the cucumbers in rice vinegar & add crushed red peppers in a jar & keep in the fridge.  luv em....

Answer 3

japanese pickles could be bought in Japanese groceries. . .making them yourself would cost you a lot, cause Japanese ingredients are quite pricey. . . pickles are readily available in j*p stores/groceries, packed or bottled, authentic and more safe than doing it yourself plus less the hassle and less spending. . .