Easy Everyday Pickles

Pickles are essential to an Asian meal.  Many of us often bring over a jar of homemade pickles to friends and family when we visit one another because we know it will be appreciated and consumed quickly.  Recently, my Japanese girlfriends visited and we shared a few recipes with each other.  We all enjoy cooking and have spent many years in the kitchen so we know when the recipe is a winner:  it usually contains these qualities: flexible ingredients, quick, easy and tasty.

Everyday Pickles

This recipe is enough for about one persian cucumber, one small carrot and one or two celery sticks.  Don’t be suprised because there is very little liquid for the amount of vegetables you use, however, the liquid will increase from the cut vegetables.  Also, it’s easier to marinate in a ziploc bag so have one ready!  You can double the recipe if needed.

Ingredients:

Choose any vegetables you have on hand such as carrots, celery, cabbage, cucumbers or radish and chop into bite size pieces.

Pickle marinade:

• 2 tablespoon ginger – thinly sliced into julienne strips
  
• 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Method

In a pot, add all the pickle marinade ingredients and heat until sugar dissolves.

Add all the chopped vegetables to the pot and coat with the marinade.  Gently, place everything into a ziploc bag and refrigerate.  Let marinate and cool at least four hours, overnight is even better.  These pickles will keep for up to 2 weeks but it’ll probably all gone by then!  Thanks to my girlfriend, Kumi!

Photo: Pixabay