Pickled Ginger (Sushi Ginger) Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (2024)

Homemade Pickled (Sushi) Ginger recipe. It needs only 5 ingredients to make pickled ginger at home with flavor just like pink ginger served with Sushi in Japanese Restaurants. Even better as home pickled ginger is free of preservatives and dyes. Make once, enjoy whole month! Gluten free, vegan, dairy free.

Sweet, tangy and slightly pink in color, pickled ginger is my favorite ask whenever I eat Sushi or dine in a Japanese Restaurant.In-fact one such Japanese place in Bay Area is my inspiration to share this recipe with you.

Are you ready for a fun weekend project? I also love pickled ginger stir-fried with spicy udon noodles. (hint hint)

Pickled Ginger

Pickled Sushi Ginger, also known as gari/shoga, is a popular Japanese condiment. Specially very commonly served as palate cleanser with Sushi. Whether you buy pre-packed Sushi from Whole Foods or dine in a fancySushi Restaurant, the side of sweet pickled ginger is quintessential.

On contrary to store-bought sushi ginger, homemade pickled ginger is pale-pink in color. The store bought ginger's color is enhanced with dyes where homemade version is pale pink due to natural reaction with rice vinegar.

Pickled Ginger is easy to prepare and often served with noodles, rice and sushi. In-fact, it is used heavily in both Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Along with delicious taste, ginger also believed to aid digestion. In my home, it find ways to salads, noodles, spicy fried rice, and of course sushi.

I love to top every sushi roll with pinch of wasabi, a slice of pickled ginger with a drop of soy sauce. Such a delightful combination of sweet, spicy and umami.Craving Sushi? ;-) Ditto!

Let's make pickled ginger today. I have plans to also share my homemade sushi recipe with you.

Pickled Ginger (Sushi Ginger) Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (1)

What Do You Need To Make Pickled Ginger

Here are the 5 (easy to find) ingredients to make Pickled Ginger at home:

  1. Young Non-Fibrous Ginger
  2. Rice Vinegar
  3. Sugar
  4. Salt
  5. Water

How simple is that?! Right?

Pickled Ginger (Sushi Ginger) Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (2)

What Ginger To Use for Pickled Ginger?

Buy non-fibrous fresh ginger root. Preferably young ginger. (Also known as baby ginger.) Available in most Asian Stores.It is easy to spot a young ginger root. Simply look at the skin. Skin of young ginger has shades of pink, is opaque, thin and so delicate that you can simply rub it off.

Young Ginger is good for pickling because it has wonderful non-fibrous texture. Once pickled, ginger stays crunchy yet gets so delicate that it melts in mouth.

Young ginger is not that spicy and potent as mature ginger. Also, pickling ingredients i.e. Rice vinegar, salt and sugar, further draw out most heat and spicy-ness out of the young ginger. Resulting pickled ginger is sweet, crunchy and as I said, melts in mouth.

You can also use galangal for this recipe.

TIP:In Autumn season (ginger season) you may also find ginger sold in regular produce stores very fresh, less fibrous and totally fine for this pickle.

Pink Ginger

The natural pink color in pickled ginger is very light pale pink (as you can see in the pictures.) Ginger turns naturally light pink when comes in contact with Vinegar or Rice Wine. It's ok for young ginger to release it's pigments and it is safe to eat.

If you ever wonder how sometime Japanese pickled ginger is red rather than pink? The red color dye is added while pickling ginger to make it look bright pink-red and hence more appetizing. However, you will find pink ginger tastes same as red ginger. There is no difference in flavor.

If you ever get chance to find a Japanese food store. Look for fresh pickled ginger in their refrigerator section. They sell both yellow (light pink like this recipe) and deep pink red gingers called Yellow Gari Shoga and Pink/Red Gari Shoga respectively. I have bought both yellow and red pink ginger and found the flavor to be exactly same.

Pickled Ginger - Recipe Testing

When I planned to test pickled ginger recipe for blog... I tried various ways to make pickled ginger, all with different results. I'm sharing the best, my version of pickling method that convinced me on the flavor of pickle ginger.

There were a few winners in my testing. Picture below shows few good ways to pickle ginger. (No. 2, Sushi Ginger is my version of pickled ginger for this post.)

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Quick Pickled Ginger

Picture (first from the top) is quick pickled ginger. It needs no cooking time. Only mix the pickling liquid, add to the sliced ginger and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Resulting pickled ginger is sweet, sour, has good crunch but is also sharp and spicy.

If you are ginger fan, this is the ginger recipe for you. To quick pickle ginger, follow the recipe same as described in the recipe card. Only don't cure ginger and no need to heat the liquid, add straight to the ginger and let sit for 30 minutes.

Quick pickled ginger is good to serve with fried rice, stir-fry with noodles or cook chicken.

Sushi Ginger

Sushi Ginger recipe (second picture from the top) is what I have shared in the recipe card. It needs some extra time as ginger is salted and cured to extract spicy-ness out.

To make sushi ginger, ginger is salted. Salting makes ginger sweat and releases the spicy-ness out. Next, pickling liquid is just heated to point until sugar and salt are fully dissolved (not boiled), then ginger is pickled in the liquid. Let ginger pickle come to room temperature and then refrigerate until ready to use.

You can start munching on pickled ginger once pickle cool down to room temperature. For the chilled (sweeter) sushi ginger like you get in sushi restaurants, refrigerate for at-least 30 minutes.

Note: Once at room temperature, if ginger tastes bit spicy. Don't worry. Let it sit in refrigerator for few hours, it will get better, perfectly sweet and less spicy.

Candied Ginger

This was an experiment gone side ways but made a delicious candied pickled ginger. This recipe requires cooking the fresh sliced ginger with pickling liquid for 30 minutes or until liquid thickens and sugar crystalize like candy. Good to top on salads or serve with meat.

Pickled Ginger (Sushi Ginger) Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (4)

This was a long due recipe. I'm so glad to finally share this with you.

Friends, don't shy from trying new things in the kitchen. This weekend, bring home some young ginger (or check above for my tips to find fresh ginger in local produce store.) I'm sure you will find remaining 4 ingredients in your pantry. Make some pickled ginger and enjoy sweet and sour condiment with your favorite meal. A jar of pickled ginger will keep for 1 month in refrigerator.

Happy Cooking! -Savita x

Pickled Ginger (Sushi Ginger) Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (2024)

FAQs

Is pickled ginger same as sushi ginger? ›

Gari is often served and eaten after sushi, and is sometimes called sushi ginger. It may also simply be called pickled ginger. In Japanese cuisine, it is considered to be essential in the presentation of sushi.

How to use pickled ginger sushi? ›

Gari, or the pickled ginger you get with sushi, is to be used as a palate cleanser. You eat a piece of sushi. You eat some gari afterwards to clean your palate and then eat a different piece of sushi. It helps to clear away some of the taste from the previous piece.

Is pickled ginger as good as raw ginger? ›

Pickled ginger can be a flavourful, low-calorie addition to your diet. Be aware of the salt and sugar used to pickle and preserve it, though, and opt for versions that may be lower in these additives. Or have fresh ginger root to enjoy all of its benefits - without the added salt or sugar.

How long does pickled ginger last in the fridge? ›

Secure lids and allow the jars to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The pickled ginger, which is ready to eat after several hours, will keep in the refrigerator for up to six months.

Is eating too much pickled ginger bad? ›

Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.

Is sushi ginger different than regular ginger? ›

The ginger often served beside sushi or many Japanese meals (called “gari”) has been pickled/marinated in a solution of vinegar and sugar after sitting salted for a few minutes, and is also made using young ginger which is naturally sweeter/milder and more tender than mature ginger.

Why do people eat pickled ginger with sushi? ›

Pickled ginger is believed to be a Japanese tradition that helps keep flavors pure. Pickled ginger is recommended if you are switching between sushi types. Pickled ginger is spicy and acidic, which can help to reduce the intensity of seafood. Gari's natural sweetness and juiciness balance the fishy flavor of raw fish.

What pairs well with pickled ginger? ›

Pickled ginger is terrific with chicken, turkey, and (surprisingly) roast beef.

Is pickled ginger in sushi good for you? ›

Ginger in particular stimulates circulation, reduces nausea and is an anti-inflammatory herb. Fermented foods are essential in a healthy diet, and they can be fun and easy to make yourself. Gari is a delicious and long lasting ginger pickle, with no fake pink colouring!

Is there sugar in pickled ginger? ›

It can be found with other dishes such as poke. Pickled ginger is made by boiling thin slices of the root and boiling it in sugar and vinegar until tender and almost translucent.

What does ginger do to your throat? ›

Ginger may help sore throats in several ways. For example, it may provide some pain relief as an anti-inflammatory. It also boosts immunity to help fight infections that cause sore throat. Ginger contains bioactive compounds.

Does ginger and cinnamon lower blood sugar? ›

Over the years, ginger has been shown to help reduce blood sugar levels and help regulate insulin response in people with diabetes. In one 2014 animal study , obese rats with diabetes were given a mix of cinnamon and ginger. These rats experienced a wealth of benefits, including: reduced body weight.

How do you know if ginger has gone bad? ›

Other visual cues that indicate it's time to toss the ginger include blemishes or mold on the exterior or cut ends, or a discolored interior (dark yellow, brown, gray cast) when sliced. Texture: Fresh ginger is firm, so if it's soft or mushy to the touch, it's a tell-tale sign that the ginger has gone bad.

Can pickled ginger mold? ›

To tell if pickled ginger has gone bad, check it for signs of mold or discoloration. If the ginger has a slimy texture, a pungent, sour smell, or no smell at all, it is likely bad and should be discarded.

Why is my pickled ginger red? ›

Details. “Benishoga” (pickled red ginger) is a variety of Japanese pickled vegetables made from ginger, salt, apricot vinegar, and sugar, with the red coloring coming from the apricot vinegar.

Can you put pickled ginger in sushi? ›

Gari (ガリ) is a type of Japanese pickled ginger that's often served as a side dish for sushi. It's made by pickling young ginger in a brine made out of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, giving it a refreshing sweet and sour taste.

What is a good substitute for pickled ginger? ›

Best substitutes for pickled ginger
  • quick + easy pickled red onions. quick + easy pickled red onions. salt + thread. whole food recipes.
  • Best Salt Water Substitutes.
  • Pickled Turnips.
  • Lacto-Fermented Red Onions Recipe.

What is the Japanese name for red pickled ginger? ›

Benishoga” (pickled red ginger) is a variety of Japanese pickled vegetables made from ginger, salt, apricot vinegar, and sugar, with the red coloring coming from the apricot vinegar.

References

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