Go Back

Fukujinzuke (Japanese Pickles for Curry)

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Pickling Time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 30 minutes
Author Yuto Omura

Ingredients 
 

  • 300 g daikon radish
  • 75 g eggplant
  • 50 g Japanese cucumber or Persian cucumber
  • 10 g ginger root
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 75 g lotus root (renkon) (renkon)
  • 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 2 tbsp dashi stock liquid (not powder) use plant-based dashi for vegetarians and vegans
  • 3 tbsp red wine
  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 5 g dried kelp (kombu)

Instructions 

  • Fill a large bowl with water just over halfway. Place the vegetables in the water as you cut to prevent discoloration. Peel 300 g daikon radish and cut lengthways into 4 slices. Cut each slice lengthways into 4 sticks, then line them up and thinly slice before dropping them into the water.
    daikon radish cut into squares on a wooden chopping board
  • Repeat this method with 75 g eggplant and then add to the water.
    eggplant cut into cubes on a wooden chopping board
  • Peel 50 g Japanese cucumber and remove the ends. Cut in half lengthways (or quarters if the cucumber is thick) then thinly slice before adding to the water.
    sliced cucumber halves on a wooden chopping board
  • Peel and finely dice 10 g ginger root. Drain the water from the bowl and add the ginger and 2 tbsp salt. Mix thoroughly and rest for 20 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the excess moisture. While you wait, prepare the lotus root and pickling liquid.
    cut vegetables for fukujinzuke in a steel bowl with salt
  • Start heating a small pot of water. Peel and thinly slice 75 g lotus root (renkon), then cut each slice into small pieces.
    renkon (lotus root) cut into small pieces on a wooden chopping board
  • Once the water is boiling, add the lotus root and boil for 1 minute. After 1 minute, drain and cool.
    renkon (lotus root) boiling in a pot of water
  • Take a saucepan and add 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 2 tbsp dashi stock, 3 tbsp red wine, 3 tbsp light brown sugar and 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Heat on medium and boil for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool.
    making pickle liquid in a pot for fukujinzuke
  • Once 20 minutes have passed, you should find that the bowl of vegetables has accumulated water. Pour through a sieve to drain and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
    finely cut vegetables for fukujinzuke in a mesh sieve over a steel mixing bowl
  • Transfer the vegetables to a sealable freezer bag and add the renkon, cooled pickling liquid and 5 g dried kelp (kombu). Push the air out and seal, then store in a container to prevent any leaks. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
    fukujinzuke sealed in a sealable freezer bag with kombu
  • Enjoy with Japanese curry rice!

Notes

In my experience, the flavor improves every day and tastes the best on the third day!