Gari – pickled ginger

Ingredients for 10 servings:

• 250 g ginger root, fresh
• n. B. Salt
• 100 ml rice vinegar (alternatively plum vinegar)
• 5 tsp sugar (10 to 30 g)
• 2 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine), not mandatory
• 2 tbsp sake (rice wine), not mandatory, substitute: dry sherry

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Total time approx. 1 day 20 minutes

also called sushi ginger, in the two variants Amazu shoga and Umezu shoga

Wash the ginger roots and gently rub off the peel with a cloth. This can also be done very well with a teaspoon. Slice or grate the roots across the grain into the thinnest slices possible. Salt the slices and let them stand for about an hour (or even a day or longer), then pat dry. Blanch the slices in water (1-3 minutes), which will reduce some of the spiciness. Drain the slices and layer them loosely in clean, screw-top jars. Bring the rice vinegar and sugar to a boil in a still-warm pot, dissolving the sugar. Pour the hot marinade over the ginger slices, close the jars, and let them cool upside down. Let them steep, at least overnight, but preferably longer. Within a week, the ginger will turn slightly pink. This is a sign of the quality of good rice vinegar. The freshness of the ginger also has a positive effect on the color change. The pink color becomes more intense with ripeness. Industrially, E124 (food coloring Cochineal Red A) or beetroot juice is often added. This makes the pink more intense than the natural color, which I prefer. Gari should be eaten between different types of sushi to neutralize the flavor. As you can see, there are many variations in gari recipes. The amounts of sugar and salt, in particular, can be adjusted to personal taste. And mirin and sake are by no means mandatory.