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Sushi without pickled ginger wouldn’t be the same. But did you know that you can easily make your own pickled ginger? It’s cheap, easy, and so satisfying!
As I promised in the ginger beer post,this is the recipe for homemade gari (pickled ginger).
You can start from scratch with the ginger root, or if you’ve made the ginger beer, then we’re working with the leftover ginger slices.
I’ve included both ways in the recipe box below. The main difference is that when we’re working with the leftover ginger slices, then we’re not adding any additional sugar in the liquid.
I love the combination of making ginger beer syrup first and then using the ginger slices for the pickled ginger. You get two for one :)
Eating sushiwithout some pickled ginger is just not the same because it adds suchan essentialflavor to it. Sometimes I even snack just the plain pickled ginger pieces. Don’t judge. I’m sure you have weird habits too.
As you can see, the ginger isn’t pink like most store-bought versions. Normally only very young ginger roots produce pink pickled ginger. Store-bought pickled ginger is oftentimes artificially colored to get the color that we are used to. You could use some beet juice to color them naturally if you’d like that but I left mine white/yellow because I think pickled ginger is pretty in its natural color.
Have you ever looked at the ingredients of pickled ginger? There are LOTS OF e-numbers, preservatives, and ingredients I can’t pronounce. So making pickled ginger yourself at home is a great alternative and you know exactly what’s in there. Yay!
How to make Pickled Ginger
The Ingredients & possible substitutes
You’ll only need a handful of ingredients:
- ginger root – 200 g of ginger root is enough for 1/2 cup of pickled ginger
- water
- rice vinegar – I am using white rice vinegar. Brown rice vinegar would also be fine.
- sugar – I am using white sugar but can also use dextrose or brown sugar.
- salt
The Basic Steps
As always you can find the whole recipe below in the box. I want to show you the basic steps first, though.
Step 3: Then fill the ginger and liquid into a jar, close the lid, let it cool off. Then store it in the fridge. The ginger will last for months. Let it pickle at least overnight before using the ginger.
Good to know
How do you eat sushi with ginger? Pickled Ginger is used as a palate cleanser between sushi servings, so you are not meant to lay ginger on sushi. I will not call the sushi police if you don’t follow this etiquette.
Why is pickled ginger pink? If you use young ginger roots, they have a pinkish tint which is enhanced further by pickling. Because of this people expect pickled ginger to be pink, that’s why pickled ginger is most often artificially or naturally dyed (e.g. with beetroot juice).
How long does pickled ginger last? If you only use clean utensils to spoon out the pickled ginger that you need, it will last up to six months. Make sure the pickled ginger is covered with the liquid when you put it back into the fridge.
Serve it with…
- Vegan Sushi Bowl
- Avocado Sushi
- Teriyaki Jackfruit Sushi Bowl
- Enoki California Roll
Love it? Rate it!
I hope you enjoy this pickled ginger as much as I do! If you like it, please let me know. It always makes my day to hear good reviews!
I’m onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Pinterest,andYouTube! Let’s connect <3
Cheers, Bianca
Pickled Ginger
Elephantastic Vegan
Sushi without pickled ginger wouldn't be the same. But did you know that you can easily make your own pickled ginger? It's cheap, easy, and so satisfying!
3.72 from 14 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Basics, Condiment
Cuisine Japanese, Vegan
Servings 1 cup
Calories 211 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large ginger root (200g)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
If you start from scratch and haven't made the ginger beer:
Peel the ginger and slice it with a vegetable peeler into super thin pieces.
In a pot, heat the water, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and ginger slices. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
Put everything in a jar, close it, let it cool off, and store it in the fridge. Let it pickle at least overnight and then use it for your favorite dishes! It will keep in the fridge for months.
If you have the ginger slices leftovers from making the ginger beer recipe:
In a small pot, heat 1/4 cup of rice vinegar and 3/4 cup of water, and 1 teaspoon salt (So everything except the sugar). Bring it to a boil.
Place the ginger slices in a jar. Pour the liquid over the ginger slices, close the jar, let it cool off, and place it in the fridge. Let it pickle at least overnight.
Notes
Storage: Store the pickled ginger in an air-tight jar, in the fridge. This way it will last for a few months.
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 2337mgPotassium: 32mgFiber: 1gSugar: 50gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @elephantasticvegan or tag #elephantasticvegan!
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