Mechanic
Thin slices and a hot pickle do the work. Shave the ginger 0.5 mm (1/64 in), never more than 1 mm, so it turns tender instead of fibrous. A one-minute blanchBlanchBoil briefly in well-salted water, then stop the cooking in ice water. and the hot amazu poured over both soften the ginger’s bite. Young ginger has pink tips that tint the whole jar pale pink in the vinegar; mature ginger stays yellow. The amazu is equal parts konbu dashi and rice vinegar, sweetened with 5 tbsp sugar per 240 ml (1 cup) of liquid.
Ginger
- 300 g (10.5 oz) young ginger
- a pinch of salt, for the blanching water
Amazu
- 120 ml (½ cup) konbu dashiDashiJapanese stock, most often kombu and katsuobushi steeped in hot water for a few minutes.
- 120 ml (½ cup) rice vinegar
- 5 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
Method
Break the ginger into small rounds that are easy to slice, and trim off any pointy nubs. Scrape off the thin skin with the spine of a knife or a spoon. Soak the pieces in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes.
Slice each piece as thin as you can along the fibre, ideally 0.5 mm (1/64 in) and no thicker than 1 mm (1/32 in). A mandoline makes this easier.
Bring a pot of water to a boil with the pinch of salt. Add the ginger and boil for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. Squeeze the slices hard between your palms to press out the water, then pack them into a jar or airtight container.
Combine the amazu ingredients in a small pot and heat, stirring, until the sugar and salt dissolve. Take it off the heat just before it boils; a long boil cooks off the vinegar’s sharpness. Pour the hot amazu over the ginger.
Let cool, then refrigerate for a day before eating.
To serve
With sushi, or alongside rice bowls and grilled fish.
Notes
- Apple cider or white wine vinegar can stand in for rice vinegar.
- With mature ginger, peel off the tougher skin and slice across the fibre instead of along it.
- Konbu dashi is a Japanese stock made by soaking konbu (kelp) in water for at least 3 hours.
- Adapted from a recipe told to me by a kind sushi chef