Hello! It is the blog: How Unique Japan!
For this time, we would like to introduce the Japanese-style pickles, known as Tsukemono.
This method of keeping the food fresh is similar to several countries’ (sinking them into a salty liquid containing salt, soy sauce, vinegar, sometimes lees from sake, or rice bran).
However, the Japanese style indeed has a long history. In some trustworthy theories, the origin of Tuskemono was born around 794 – 1194 (the Heian era).
Why is Tsukemono popular in Japan?
Why did this menu become very famous in Japan? The answer is deeply concerned with the climate in Japan.
The key was Humidity. We could not store any vegetables harvested in the Summer till the dry Autumn or Winter season. If someone just left the fresh food outside, the vegetables will be in such bad condition within one day or a few hours!
That means the purpose of the invention (Tsukemono) is to keep any vegetables edible until the dry (autumn and winter) season when crops can not grow. So, it is for storing.
The advantage of the Tukemono is not over yet.
The secret is lactic acid bacteria. They have the characteristic of breaking sugar molecules into the Umami taste/flavor. It makes them more tasty.
That is why the method for storing is working.
How long do they remain edible?
However, that will lead to some new questions.
How long would they (vegetables) be kept in good condition with the method?
Amazingly, while the vegetables are in storage, in barrels or pots filled with salty water, they will maintain their edible condition for 30 to 180 days (depending on the kind). It remains longer than raw ones.
It is not a joke. In a prefecture of Wakayama, one Tuskemono shop has salted plums (Umeboshi in Japan). It is for 350 years!
Sadly, if they are out of storage for meals, they can not remain for a while. The condition would last for just one or two weeks.
OK. Then, how long will it take to make the pickles?
Until completion, they will take several lengths of time. It depends on the kind of vegetables. Some will get ready within a half day or two days. However, they do not have a deep taste; for instance, the 350-year-old Umeboshi.
Thus, the others are usually in the stores for two to three weeks to get ready for the table, sometimes over six years.
Could you imagine the taste of the plums (Umeboshi) from over 350 years ago?
Some popular kinds of Tsukemono
All ingredients are mainly vegetables. They are made with turnips, eggplants, winter melons, garlic, soybeans, or blackens.
Fun fact. Old Japanese people also preserved some fruits using the same method. *Sark in the salty water. For example, peaches and oranges follow. In other words, every vegetable can transform into delicious pickles.
Thus, in this section, let’s see some popular Tsukemono.
Asa Duke (Shallowly pickled)
It is one of the most popular Tsukemono for public dinners in Japan.
As the name suggests, this method does not take time to make the Tsukemono.
Put some vegetables in a plastic bag, and salt. Then, leave for some days or hours. Indeed, it is easy to make.
Cucumber, eggplant, Hakusai (Chinese cabbage), and any vegetable would suit this Tsukemono.
Nuka Duke (Pickled in rice bran)
At the beginning of this article, we touched on rice bran. It is the Tsukemono from it.
The vegetables will be in the rice bran with water and salt. Those ingredients help the lactic acid bacteria proliferate and ferment. So, the bacteria make an Umami flavor.
It is in a pot, and sometimes we need to mix it by hand for good storage conditions.
It has a history. However, the time it was born is unknown because each house (almost) kept a pot filled with rice bran (as the pickle base) in old times.
Indeed. It was another famous pickle.
OK. How can we store it safely?
We can soak and keep the vegetables in the rice bran base for two or three days (proper time for edibility).
However, if it remains unattended for over one week without care, the base will contain fungus on its surface, making it unbalanced. It is the reason it needs to mix.
It is serious. Some Japanese have possessed the base for generations through care, adding new rice bran and mixing it.
Takuan (White radish pickles)
We said vegetables can be good Japanese pickles.
However, the Tsukemono called Takuan should be a white radish (Daikon in Japanese), making it unique.
The origin story is also a feature. The inventor was a MONK of a Japanese temple. He is Mr. Takuan (1573 – 1645). Indeed, the pickle’s name was from himself.
How do they make it? First, they (makers) cut the leaf part of the radishes. Then, hang them outside for two weeks.
After they dry, set them in the barrels with salt, sugar, and oryzae.
The key to pickling well is weight. The Tsukemono always needs a proper stone size on the barrel to press the radishes (and it is the same technique for all pickles). It takes two or three weeks to be ready.
It is one of the most unique Japanese pickles, Takuan.
To close
Indeed. There are many kinds of Japanese pickles around.
But it is not yet. Do you know Japan has 48th prefectures? Each one shall have featured products. We call them Tokusan-hin.
So, Tuskemono is famous. If you can travel around some prefectures in Japan, please look around some souvenir shops. You will see that we have many variations of the pickles.
OK! It is all for this time! Thank you so much for reading the article! There are still some Japanese articles in our blog. Now, we have four categories. They are about Japanese lifestyle, food, the Edo era, and religion.
If you are still interested in those, visit the front page and find your catchy articles.
SEE YOU SOON FOR THE NEXT ONE!!