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Shibazuke
Shibazuke (しば漬け): Kyoto's purple pickle of aubergine and cucumber with red shiso
Shibazuke comes from Ohara, in the hills north of Kyoto, where summer aubergines, cucumbers and myoga ginger are pressed with salt and red shiso leaves until everything turns a vivid purple and pleasantly sour. A few slivers sit beside the rice in Kyoto bento boxes. This home version is lightly fermented for a day under a weight. The common mistake is too little weight: the vegetables must sit under their own brine or they spoil instead of souring. Chef's tip: rub the shiso with salt and squeeze out its first dark, bitter juice before it ever touches the vegetables.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 Japanese aubergineabout 250 g
- 2 Japanese or mini cucumbersabout 200 g
- 2 myoga ginger buds (optional)or 15 g young ginger
- 1 oz red shiso leavesabout 30 leaves
- 4 tsp saltdivided
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Halve 2 Japanese aubergine lengthways and cut into 3 mm half-moons. Slice 2 Japanese or mini cucumbers into 3 mm rounds and 2 myoga ginger buds into thin strips, if using.
Step 2: Put the vegetables in a bowl with 3 tsp salt and toss well. Leave for 20 minutes, until they are limp and sitting in liquid.
20 minStep 3: Meanwhile, wash 1 oz red shiso leaves and rub it hard with the remaining 1 tsp salt until purple-black juice runs out. Squeeze and throw that juice away.
Step 4: Squeeze the vegetables gently and mix them with the shiso and 1 tbsp rice vinegar. The vinegar sets the bright purple colour.
Step 5: Pack into a clean bowl or pickle press, cover with cling film on the surface and put a weight of about 1 kg on top (a bag of rice or water-filled jar). Leave somewhere cool, or in the fridge in hot weather, for 24 hours, until the brine covers the vegetables and they taste pleasantly sour.
Step 6: Drain, chop roughly and keep in a lidded jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Pack a spoonful beside bento rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 15 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shibazuke take?
- About 30 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of japanese or mini cucumbers?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
- What can I use instead of rice vinegar?
- Cider vinegar with a pinch of sugar, same amount.
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