Eggplant Pickles

Eggplant Pickles
tsukemono

Japanese cuisine features pickled vegetables (tsukemono) - especially cabbage, Japanese turnip (daikon) and eggplant. Japanese pickles, collectively called oshinko, are lightly pickled or salted, and some have a sweet taste. Japanese eggplant are long and slim, unlike Western eggplant which is round and fat.

6 small Japanese eggplant
(or one very large one) seeded
2 Tbsp. Salt
4 cups of water
1 tsp. wasabi
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. mirin

Preparation:

Cut small eggplant in fourths after slicing off the stem. If a larger eggplant is used, cut into finger-sized pieces. Soak in water and salt for an hour or two to soften a bit. Drain and put into a crock or bowl. Mix all other ingredients into a paste and pour over eggplant. Turn or cover all the eggplant. Cover and refrigerate for three hours, turning once or twice.

This recipe is from page 150 of Joan Itoh's Rice Paddy Gourmet.

For more pickle recipes, try
Oshinko (pickled cabbage) at http://www.bento.com/tr-shink.html
Amazu Shuga (Pickled Pink Ginger) at http://www.orientalfood.com/cgi-bin/sql_rcp_view.pl?id=490
Achara Zuke (pickled turnip) at http://www.orientalfood.com/cgi-bin/sql_rcp_view.pl?id=489
Karashi Zuke (Miso-Marinated Asparagus) at http://www.orientalfood.com/cgi-bin/sql_rcp_view.pl?id=1334

Table of Contents Cover PIER home page