Global
Japanese Pickled Vegetables (Tsukemono)
A crisp, refreshing mix of garden vegetables lightly pickled with salt, vinegar, and ginger.
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 10.
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 1 carrot
- 1 small daikon radish (optional)
- 1-inch piece ginger
- 2–3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½–1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey
- Optional: chili flakes, sesame seeds, shiso leaves
Cooking Steps
Slice vegetables
Cut cucumber, carrot, and daikon into thin sticks or rounds.
Salt lightly
Sprinkle vegetables with salt; let sit 10–15 minutes. This draws out moisture and enhances crispness.
Make brine
Mix vinegar, sugar/honey, and sliced ginger.
Combine
Squeeze excess liquid from vegetables and place into jar. Pour brine over top.
Rest
Chill at least 1 hour; best after 24 hours.
Optional Enhancements
- No daikon: use turnips
- Sweet pickles: increase sugar
- Spicy pickles: add fresh chili
- Herbal version: add mint, basil, or shiso
Plant & Growing Tips
Cucumbers
- Need warm soil and consistent watering.
- Trellis to reduce disease and improve shape.
Carrots
- Direct sow; maintain even moisture.
- Thin seedlings early to prevent overcrowding.
Daikon / Turnips
- Cool-season crop.
- Fast-growing (30–60 days).
Ginger
- Plant rhizomes in spring in warm, moist soil.
- Partial shade preferred.
Natural Pest Control
- Diatomaceous earth deters cucumber beetles.
- Row covers protect radish family crops.
- Garlic spray reduces aphids on cucumbers.
- Basil or dill nearby improves growth.
Harvest
Cucumbers
- Pick when firm, before seeds toughen.
Carrots
- Harvest at desired size.
Daikon
- Pull before the root gets woody.
Ginger
- Harvest once leaves yellow.
Storing & Freezing
Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Not suitable for freezing.
