Tsukemono and Pickled Daikon Recipe

Tsukemono such as pickled plums are an essential part of Japanese cuisine. The Shiso leaf is an essential herb used to flavor and color Japanese pickles.

A pickled daikon recipe is typically put through a brining process, but there are numerous ways and short cuts in preparing pickles.

Pickled plums also known as Umeboshi or Ume for short are one of the most well known Japanese pickles and are colored using the Shiso leaf.

Umeboshi are typically found in Onigiri or Japanese rice balls and have a very sour salty taste.

Pickled Daikon Recipe

Daikon are Japanese radishes, but there are many other types of radishes to experiment with as you can see.

Pickles can be made with just about any kind of vegetable, but the popular choices are cabbage, Daikon, carrots, cucumber, and ginger.

Make sure you use enough salt to prevent mold from growing, but not too much or you'll end up with very salty pickles.

After the brining or pickling process is complete you may want to give your vegetables a good rinse to get rid of the excess sodium which could lead to hypertension.

These pickles should keep for a week or so in your refrigerator.

How to Make Quick Japanese Pickles

1. Mix chopped vegetables of your choice with some sea salt.
2. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or so to release liquid from vegetables.
3. Rinse salt from vegetables and then squeeze excess liquid from vegetables.
5. Add other seasonings of your choice such as chili peppers, garlic, ginger, Shiso leaf, etc.
6. Serve immediately or marinate in your refrigerator for a day or two.

Pickled Plums

There are various ways to make pickled plums or Umeboshi and it is probably best to use a ceramic crock for this procedure which involves brining and then drying the plums.

To make these pickles requires Ume Plums, Coarse Sea Salt, and Red Shiso Leaves. This process can take months to complete and is sometimes made using Japanese distilled rice liquor.

As you can see this is a more labor intensive pickling process, but these pickles will last for a long time when done correctly.

You can also buy them in Oriental grocery stores and most stores have an Oriental food section that will carry a brand or two of pickled plums or Umeboshi.

Be careful for added dyes and MSG. I've only found one brand so far that did not have either one and this was at a health food store.

The Shiso Leaf

Shiso comes in either a green or reddish purple color and has a complex flavor ranging from basil to cilantro to mint to cinnamon with citrus notes.

These leaves are a great source of calcium and iron. They are used to color pickled plums as well as season and garnish Japanese dishes.

It is also believed that Shiso has properties that can help to preserve and sterilize food.

Easy Tsukemono Recipe

These pickles are basically marinated vegetables and can be ready in a very short time. They are also pretty perishable and will need to be eaten in a day or two.

You can use citrus zest or juice, flavored oils, green onions, and various vinegars to flavor your Japanese pickles.

The sky is pretty much the limit or your imagination.

Get some great ideas and recipes to help you add more tasty vegetables - Japanese style - to your daily meals.


Go to Onigiri Recipe

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