Pickled Sushi Ginger (Gari) is thinly sliced ginger with a sweet and sour flavour. It has a touch of heat from the ginger. It is best to use young ginger, as the flesh is softer and less pungent. But you can make Gari using normal ginger as well.
Don't forget to see the section 'MEAL IDEAS' below the recipe card! It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and this recipe that can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you.
- 300g/10.6oz young ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 120ml/4.1fl oz konbu dashi
- 120ml/4.1fl oz rice vinegar (note 1)
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
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If you have a large piece of ginger, break it into smaller round sections that are easier to slice (see the photo on the post). Trim off the small pointy bits around each piece of ginger if there are any.
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Using the spine of your knife or a spoon, scrape off the thin skin of each piece of ginger (note 2), then place them in a bowl filled with water. Leave it for 15 minutes or so.
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Slice each piece of ginger very thinly along the direction of the fibre (note 2). The thickness of the slices is preferably 0.5mm/ 1/64" and no more than 1mm/ 1/32" (note 3).
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Put enough water to boil ginger slices in a pot. Add a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil.
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Add ginger slices to the pot and boil for 1 minute.
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Drain and let them cool.
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Remove excess water from ginger slices, by pressing them hard between your palms (note 4). Put the ginger in an airtight container or a jar.
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Put all the Amazu ingredients in a pot and heat it to dissolve sugar and salt. Turn the heat off just before it starts boiling (prolonged boiling will reduce the acidity taste from the amazu).
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Add the hot amazu to the container with ginger. Hot amazu will make the spiciness of the ginger milder.
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Let the pickled ginger cool, then place it in the fridge for a day before eating.
1. You can substitute it with wine vinegar or apple vinegar.
2. If you are using normal ginger with hard skin, peel the skin off and slice it perpendicular to the direction of the fibre.
3. It is important to slice the ginger as thin as possible. See more details in the section SLICING THE GINGER TO MAKE GARI in this post.
4. This is to prevent the ginger slices from getting damaged and broken.
5. Pickled Sushi Ginger (Gari) keeps about a year in the fridge.