tsukemono

pickles are deeply embedded in the lives of the Japanese to the extent that Japan is sometimes called a "pickle superpower" Japanese pickles, TUSKEMONO, are made by pickling the ingredients , primarily vegetables, in salt or other seasonings. they are usually quite salty. Many different types of vegetables an be grown in japan. the country is surrounded by the ocean, which means that salt has always been available in abundance. TUKEMONO made using salt were developed as a means to effectively preserve vegetables. rice is Japan's staple food. ti is rich in nutrition but relatively simple in flavours. TUKEMONO provide a perfect complement to it, and it tremendous range came to be produced. the seasonings and methods of pickling. these tukemono were pickled in sake lees.
The distinctive aroma and flavour of the alcohol are evident. Here are UTKEMONO picked in soy sauce. their rich, mellow, salty favour goes well with rice. Some TUKEMONO were pickled in mustard. they have a spicy kick! and this is NUKAZUKE arguably the most popular type of TUKEMONO. NUKAZUKE are made by packing seasonal vegetables in NUKADOKO, a bed of rice bran. the basic ingredient of NUKADOKO is rice bran , a by-product of rice polishing, salt, water and other ingredients are added, and the mixture is fermented. small pieces of vegetable are packed into the mixture. thy are removed the next day and replaced with new pieces, this is repeated daily for a week or so; then the NUKADO is ready.
you can now pack any vegetables of your choice into the NUKADOKO and leave them overnight to create mild - flavored TUKEMONO with a fresh salad-like appeal. If the vegetables are left for several days, further fermentation occurs and the TUKEMONO deepen in flavour. you can use the NUKADOKO over and over , so long as it is well tended. for this reason, NUKADOKO can be passed down from generation to generation , and the TUKOMONO made in it may very well take a favour this is unique to that house hold. the prevent the growth of mould, it should be mixed from the bottom up once a day, everyday, it modern times, the Japanese diet has become heavily influenced by western foods, but rice and TUKEMOMO remain an integral part of the menu.