What is the Nukazuke?
Nukazuke (糠漬け), a vegetable pickle fermented by rice bran, is really traditional food for Japanese people. For me, it reminds of my grandma’s kitchen and a scene that her big hand kneaded the rice paste like a potter.
She often said “Mix it well, the taste goes well” and I really enjoyed to help it with her. After the work our hands stink little bit but for us it is just an evidence of our fun time.
Back on the track, Nukazuke is a good option to keep vegetables long and fresh. The fermented rice bran and salt hold the veggie’s moisture and add savory and flavor.
How to Enjoy Nukazuke
Let’s Cook!
Ingredients
- Nuka
- Vegetables as you like (Cucumber and daikon radish are a best starter)
And it’s really important where to stock it – as same as Ume syrups, long-keep recipe needs to be sealed completely to avoid germs. I recommend to use the easy Nuka package (click here for Amazon place) for a new joiner.
If you get used to deal it, or want to pack many vegetables my next suggestion is this enamel container. The Noda container is our favorite that is light and durable. I use one for Nukazuke and others for oven baking and frozen – it fits to all cooking styles.
Instructions
- Wash vegetables and pat dry them
- Put the vegetables into Nuka
- Rest in refrigerator (or under 20 degrees) for a couple days
