Quick pickled baby cucumbers, Japanese style

25 Comments

Kid 1 and I were watching the lovely Rachel Khoo on her BBC cooking show when I asked him, ‘Rachel is your type, isn’t she?’ Kid 1 replied, ‘I don’t have a type, all girls are my type.’

Ummm. Think we are in trouble.

Back to food. I am on a pickling rampage. Well, that is a slight exaggeration but quick refrigerator pickles are somewhat of a revelation. If it ain’t tied down, I will pickle it.

QUICK PICKLED BABY CUCUMBERS JAPANESE STYLE

WHAT YOU NEED
350g baby cucumbers
3/4 cup Rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tbl granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp Sea salt
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp gluten free soy sauce
1/2 tsp Sesame oil

HOW YOU DO IT
Trim any stalks off the baby cucumbers and wash and dry them.
Pack them into a medium sized jar that holds about 500ml liquid.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat.
Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from the hear and let it cool down for 10 to 15 minutes.
Pour the brining liquid into the jar, covering the cucumbers.
Let the pickles cool down to room temperature then cover the jar and shake or rotate the jar gently to distribute the ginger throughout the jar.
Refrigerate the pickles for at least one day before serving, they can last up to five days in the refrigerator.
These teeny pickled cucumbers are magnificent with a cheese platter and go really well with my Miso Glazed Eggplant and Tofu Agedashi. Add to burgers, sandwiches and they are super nice when sliced and added to the top of a taco. Failing that, there is nothing wrong with eating them straight from the jar.

A Cheergerm creation

25 thoughts on “Quick pickled baby cucumbers, Japanese style”

    • Lisa @ cheergerm

      It must be in the air! They had a motza of them at the growers market on Thursday, hoping there are more this week. He is 11 turning 12 end of April. Whilst he is quite articulate and questioning about all sorts of topics (including the general birds and bees type stuff he is usually far more circumspect regarding the ‘fairer sex’. I was a tad alarmed! Here we go!

      Reply
  3. MELewis

    I do love your little snippets of conversation with your kids. He sounds like a heartbreaker. 😉 I have never pickled anything, unless possibly various of my own organs after too much wine. Husband loves pickles, though, so perhaps I’ll give one of your potions a try.

    Reply
    • Lisa @ cheergerm

      He, he…thanks Mel, he is also quite a sensitive soul behind all the talk, methinks it is his heart that may end up being broken as well. Such is the way of love! Yes, I have pickled my own organs too, eek! I love the fact that this is a ‘one jar consumable’ which in my ‘not so pickle loving household’, works well. Could be a good thing for you too then!

      Reply
    • Lisa @ cheergerm

      It’s always strange when we see each other in different seasons, you guys hanker for our summer produce and when it’s stinking hot, we hanker for some cooler weather and a nice, slow cooked casserole. These were super easy, which is tops in my book!

      Reply
  7. Susanne

    Pickles made with rice vinegar? That sounds interesting and maybe milder than the traditional pickle? As for kid 1, I suspect he’ll eventually gravitate to young women who like to cook. Just a hunch.

    Reply
    • Lisa @ cheergerm

      When tasting the pickling liquid it still seemed pretty intense but the end result of the pickle is actually a bit softer. I am trying to encourage his culinary skills but yes, I think he will…well, at least someone who likes to eat!

      Reply
  8. marymtf

    You’re right, Cheery, there’s nothing wrong with eating them from the jar. Tell that to my partner.
    After having to listen to drooling women all weekend talking ‘eye candy’ I’d say there’s something refreshing and non discriminatory about kid 1’s candour. My guess, mid teens?

    Reply
    • Lisa @ cheergerm

      I ate some from the jar yesterday…viva la jar eating! He is 11 turning 12 but it’s all just talk at this point, thank goodness. But I do like the idea that he isn’t looking for a ‘type’. Whenever I hear him use the word ‘hot’ to describe a woman I encourage him to find other adjectives that may also be complimentary. And to ultimately, look for beauty within and a bloody good sense of humour. (When is he 21… Ha, I wish,)

      Reply
      • marymtf

        We all go through those parenting phases Cheery. What’s that saying about getting back in spades what you put in? if you raised him, he’ll be okay.

    • Lisa @ cheergerm

      Thanks Sneh. I hear you on the ‘lazy’ front, I am struggling to do anything but quick pickle!! Seriously! 😬 Maybe these were the same as the gherkins you got and I am calling them ‘baby cucumbers’ when they are really gherkins? Gherkingate…tee hee…

      Reply
    • Lisa @ cheergerm

      Thanks Conor. Yes, us ‘out of sync’ hemisphere peeps always look longingly at each other’s food pics. Grass always greener and all that. (The figs were bloody delicious with the cheese then you got a great sour hit from the pickles. I am considering giving up cooking and living on food such as this…until I get bored of course…)

      Reply

Leave a reply to Lisa @ cheergerm Cancel reply