Pickled Sushi Ginger(Shoga)
….Pickled sushi ginger, or shoga, is a Japanese pickle made by brining thin slices of young ginger in a mixture of vinegar, sugar, plum extract, and salt. It boasts a refreshing sweet and sour taste with a hint of spiciness, making it a popular side dish to serve with sushi.
The pickled ginger that I always bought and used from the market, after watching a YouTube video by @comble0, who suggested making it because it’s in season, led me to the market where I found an abundance of fresh ginger. I bought a bag of organic ginger. Additionally, today I finally learned why my mother used a spoon when peeling ginger skin. Using a spoon instead of a knife made it safer and easier to peel the ginger skin smoothly. I am grateful for my mother’s methods as they allow me to reminisce about the times I spent with her during my childhood.
To prepare the pickled ginger, place it in a glass container or jar and pour the hot pickling brine over it. Stir everything together to ensure it’s well distributed, and then pat the ginger down so that it’s fully submerged. Let the sushi ginger pickle in the refrigerator for at least a day. While it improves over about a week, I recommend letting the ginger pickle for a longer period. Shoga will keep for months in the fridge, so consider making a big batch to enjoy!
Servings: 220 ml per bottle, total of 4 bottles.
Time: 40 minutes plus 1 day for aging
Ingredients:
- 500g of ginger (after peeling), sliced very thinly
- 900 ml water
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp sea salt
For pickle sauce:
- 200 ml water
- 200 ml vinegar
- 120 g(7 tbsp) sugar
- 1 tbsp plum extract
- 2 tsp sea salt
Cooking Instructions:
- Peel the ginger using a stainless spoon and slice it thinly with a mandoline slicer in the direction of the fibers.
2. Rinse the sliced ginger with cold water several times to remove the spiciness, and then set it aside.
3. Heat a pot over medium-high heat and bring 900 ml of water and 2 tbsp of vinegar to a boil in the pot.
4. Place the sliced ginger into the pot and boil for 3 minutes. Strain the boiled ginger using a strainer.
5. Place the ginger on a tray and, while still warm, lightly sprinkle 1 tsp of sea salt, mixing well.
6. After cooling down, rinse them once with cold water and squeeze out the excess water using your hands. Arrange them on a tray.
7. Place ginger into a sterilized jar.
8. Heat a sauce pot over medium-high heat and add all pickle sauce ingredients to the pot. Bring them to a boil and then turn off the heat.
9. Pour the pickle sauce, while still warm to the ginger bottles. Let them cook and then keep in a refrigerator. After cooling as is, let it mature in the refrigerator for 1–2 days before using.
10. Small tip: After one day, drain the pickle sauce from the jars into a sauce pot. Boil it, then allow the pickle sauce to cool down. Pour the sauce back into the jar and store it in the refrigerator.
You can also view this recipe on Instagram.
