Fukujinzuke: Pickled Vegetables That Elevate Your Curry

Sweet Pickled Vegetable Directions

• Prepare Fresh Vegetables
  Peel 500g daikon radish and cut into half-moon slices approximately 2mm thick. Peel 20g fresh ginger and cut into fine julienne strips. The uniform, thin cutting is important for proper texture and flavor absorption.
• Salt For Moisture Extraction
  Sprinkle vegetables with 1/2 tablespoon salt, mixing thoroughly to distribute. Let stand for 12 hours in a refrigerator. This crucial step draws out excess moisture from the vegetables, allowing them to better absorb the pickling liquid.
• Create Flavorful Pickling Liquid
  Combine 70ml soy sauce, 100ml sake, 50ml rice vinegar, and 85g brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves completely. The balanced mixture of sweet, savory, and tangy elements creates the signature fukujinzuke flavor.
• Prepare Vegetables For Pickling
  Thoroughly squeeze salted vegetables to remove excess liquid. Rinse briefly if you prefer a less salty finish, then squeeze again to remove all moisture. Add to the boiling pickling liquid and return to a boil.
• Reduce And Concentrate
  Once the mixture returns to a boil, remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and transfer to a storage container. Continue cooking the pickling liquid over medium heat for an additional 5 minutes until slightly reduced and more concentrated in flavor.
• Infuse With Spice
  Remove reduced pickling liquid from heat. Add 1 dried red chili or a pinch of red pepper flakes to infuse a subtle heat. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables in the storage container, ensuring they are completely submerged.
• Age For Flavor Development
  Allow pickles to cool completely, then seal the container. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating to allow flavors to fully develop and permeate the vegetables. The flavor will continue to improve over several days.