Homemade Pickled Ginger
Pickled ginger. I think it's something you either love or can't stand. As a kid, I used to think it was one of the most horrible foods I could possibly imagine. But now, I could eat it straight out of the jar!
Pickled ginger is perfect as an accompaniment to sushi or sushi bowls, thrown on top of salads or used to dress up any kind of buddha bowl. It adds a refreshing, zingy spicy kick, a burst of colour and that little extra flavour to take a Summery meal to the next level.
I have to say I was a little shocked when I read the ingredients of the store-bought pickled ginger that we had sitting in our fridge at home. Along with the ginger comes high fructose corn syrup, 3 different flavour enhancers, 3 different food acids, preservatives, sweeteners, stabilisers and food colour. Mmmm, suddenly doesn't really sound so appealing anymore for a food that's meant to be so simple. And might I add, it had been in our fridge for a couple of years too and still looked exactly the same, which is definitely saying something...
So, I made it my mission to make my own! And while it doesn't taste exactly the same as the store bought version, I actually much prefer it! It's free of any nasties or refined and artificial ingredients, super simple to make and even packs a nutritional punch of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. I love having a jar in the fridge to add to my lunches for a bit more variety!
I'd love to know if you love this pickled ginger recipe as much as I do, don't forget to tag me on Instagram if you give it a go!
Ingredients
- 1 large fresh ginger (about 130g piece)
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tbsp maple or rice malt syrup
- 1/4 small beetroot
Method
- First, peel your ginger and slice as thinly as possible (the thinner, the better - a mandolin is helpful for this, but just be careful not to cut your fingers!)
- Put your sliced ginger into a bowl and sprinkle 2 tsp of salt on top. Massage the salt into the ginger until it begins to soften a little, and then let sit it for about 40 minutes
- Next, rinse off all the salt from your ginger
- Combine the water, maple syrup, rice vinegar and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt in a pan and bring to a simmer so everything dissolves
- Pack your ginger into a clean glass jar (you can sterilise your jar by rinsing it with boiling water) with a few thin slices of raw beetroot, then pour the liquid mixture on top, making sure all the ginger is submerged, and seal the jar
- Place the jar into the fridge and allow to 'pickle' for at least 48 hours before eating. ENJOY!
Notes:
- This recipe makes one small jar
- Keeps well in the fridge in a sealed jar for a couple of months
