Pickled ginger is traditionally served with sushi, eaten between bites to cleanse your mouth and enhance the flavors. It is excellent tossed with sliced cucumber as a twist on traditional sunumono for a side salad.

Yields: about 3 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb fresh young ginger root
1-1/2 cups organic rice vinegar
1 cup organic sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt

PROCEDURE:

Wash and scrub the young ginger thoroughly with a vegetable brush to rub off most of the skin.
Slice very thinly by hand or with a mandolin slicer.
Toss the ginger with salt and let stand for 1 hour. During this time the ginger will let go quite a bit of juice.
Squeeze the ginger and pat dry with a clean towel. The ginger water may be reserved and stored in a glass jar in the fridge to use for marinades.
Wash glass jars with tight sealing lids with very hot water to sterilize.
Place ginger in the jars.
Mix the vinegar and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil,
Pour the hot vinegar-sugar mixture over the ginger slices.
Cool and cover. Store in fridge.
Young ginger root will naturally turn a light pink color during the process though older ginger root may not.

SERVICE

LEFTOVER STORAGE

Store in fridge for up to 2 months. Be sure the ginger slices are always submerged in liquid for best freshness.