Gari (Japanese Pickled Sushi Ginger)

Name: Gari (Japanese Pickled Sushi Ginger)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 8 ounces (225 g) young ginger, scrubbed, peeled (scrape with a spoon), and sliced paper-thin against the grain; 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt; ¾ cup (180 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup (60 ml) water; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt, for the brine; ¼ ounce (7 g) raw beet, peeled and cut into 1 thin slice about the size of a quarter (for natural pink color) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Delicate, pale pink-tinged slices of young ginger are salted to mellow their bite, then steeped in a sweet-tart rice vinegar brine. Crisp, clean and refreshing, this is the classic sushi companion, and it takes less than 30 minutes of hands-on work.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 min
Wait: 2 days
Total: 2.1 days
Makes: About 1 pint (480 ml) jar, 16 servings of 2 tablespoons

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Steps

Before you start

Choose young ginger if you can: it has thin, pale, almost translucent skin with pink tips, and is tender with little fiber. Mature ginger works, but peel it more thoroughly and slice it thinner.
Wash a 1-pint (480 ml) jar and lid in hot soapy water and rinse well. It must be clean, and the lid should be non-reactive (glass or plastic-lined) because vinegar corrodes bare metal.
Plan ahead: the ginger is best after 2 days in the fridge and keeps improving for a week.
A mandoline or very sharp knife is needed for paper-thin slices. Use the hand guard.

1
Prep the ginger
- Scrub the ginger under cold water.
- Scrape off the thin skin with the edge of a spoon, which follows the knobs better than a peeler.
- Trim any dry or fibrous spots.
- Weigh out 8 ounces (225 g).
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Ready when: Skin is gone and the ginger looks pale yellow and smooth.
Tip: Old ginger with tough skin may need a peeler.
2
Slice paper-thin
- Using a mandoline set to about 1/32 inch (1 mm), or a very sharp knife, slice the ginger lengthwise, with the grain running along the slice's length, into thin, wide ribbons.
- Use the hand guard.
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Ready when: Slices are thin enough to see light through and bend without snapping.
Tip: Slicing against the fibers across the knob gives short, tough pieces. Slice along the grain for tender ribbons.
3
Salt the ginger
- Toss the slices in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt.
- Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature to draw out moisture and harsh heat.
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Ready when: Slices look slightly wilted with liquid pooled in the bowl.
4
Blanch and drain
- Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.
- Drain the ginger in a colander, then add it to the boiling water for 30 seconds only.
- Drain well and spread on a clean towel.
- Pat dry, then squeeze gently to remove excess water.
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Ready when: Ginger is slightly softened and bright, and no longer smells sharply raw.
Tip: Don't blanch longer than 30 seconds or the ginger loses its crunch.
5
Make the brine
- In the same cleaned saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, water and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt.
- Warm over medium heat, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.
- Remove from the heat before it boils hard.
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Ready when: Liquid is clear with no visible sugar crystals when you tilt the pan.
Tip: Vinegar fumes are strong. Ventilate the kitchen.
6
Pack the jar
- Pack the dry ginger loosely into a clean 1-pint (480 ml) jar.
- Tuck in the beet slice, if using, against the glass.
- Pour the warm brine over the ginger so every slice is submerged, leaving about 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace.
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Ready when: All ginger is covered by liquid.
Tip: Use only a thin slice of beet. A larger piece turns the ginger deep magenta.
7
Cool to room temperature
- Leave the jar uncovered, or with the lid set on loosely, for about 1 hour until the brine reaches room temperature.
- The ginger may start to blush pale pink if you used the beet.
- Then seal tightly.
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Ready when: Jar feels neutral, not warm, to the touch.
8
Chill and cure
- Refrigerate for at least 48 hours before serving.
- Shake the jar gently once a day.
- The flavor mellows and turns sweet-tart, and the color becomes a soft blush.
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Ready when: Slices are tender yet crisp, taste balanced sweet and tangy, and no longer burn sharply.
Tip: You can sample after 24 hours, but it will taste sharper.

Good to know

Tips

Slice along the grain with a mandoline for the thinnest, most tender slices.
Do not skip the 30-second blanch. It tames harsh heat without making the ginger soft.
Keep the ginger submerged under the brine at all times so it stays crisp and safe to store.
Save the leftover brine: it is great for quick-pickling cucumbers or sliced radishes, or for seasoning sushi rice.

Make ahead

"Make up to 1 week ahead. The flavor is best after 2 to 7 days in the fridge."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate in the sealed jar, with the ginger submerged in brine, for up to 3 months. Do not leave at room temperature for more than a few hours. Not recommended for freezing, as the texture turns limp. Serve straight from the fridge, using a clean utensil each time."

Substitutions

unseasoned rice vinegar → apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar (5% acidity). Flavor will be a bit fruitier or sharper, less delicate.
granulated sugar → honey or maple syrup (3 tablespoons / 60 ml). Adds flavor and slight color. Dissolves easily.
raw beet → 1 small slice of pickled red cabbage or 1 teaspoon red shiso juice, or omit. Color only. Omitting gives pale yellow ginger, which is just as authentic.
young ginger → mature ginger. Peel thoroughly, slice extra thin, and extend the salting to 45 minutes. It will be spicier and fibrous.