Amazuzuke: Quick vinegar pickles for a refreshing side dish

Ingredients for Amazuzuke (quick vinegar pickles)

• 1,200 g assorted seasonal vegetables, trimmed, peeled

• 6 shiso leaves

• 3 sprigs each thyme, dill, and parsley

• 40 g ginger, peeled, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced in halves

• 5 ml peppercorns (black or pink) or seeds (cumin, coriander, fennel, or mustard)

• 4 dried red chiles or 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced crosswise, deseeded

• 480 ml rice vinegar

• 480 ml filtered water

• 1 piece of kombu, 15 cm x 6 inches (cut into 12 pieces)

• 100 g cane sugar

• 45 g sea salt

• 15 ml julienned orange or lemon peel

How to make Amazuzuke (quick vinegar pickles)

1. Sterilise eight ½-pint (240 ml) mason jars.

2. Slice the vegetables into bite-sized pieces, approximately 6 mm thick. If using slender vegetables like asparagus or green beans, leave them whole or cut them in half crosswise. Blanch root vegetables in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then strain before adding to the jars.

3. Pack the vegetables, shiso, thyme, dill, and parsley tightly into the sterilised jars.

4. In a medium saucepan, combine the ginger, garlic, peppercorns, chiles, rice vinegar, filtered water, kombu, sugar, salt, and citrus peel. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the hot brine over the packed vegetables in the sterilised jars.

6. Allow the jars to cool before sealing them.

7. Refrigerate the jars. You can start enjoying the pickles after 1 day. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.