Japanese curry is often served alongside with steamed rice and an accompaniment of bright crimson red relish called Fukujinzuke (福神漬け). These pickled vegetables are sweet and tangy, which is perfect to set off the richness of curry. You can easily get store-bought Fukujinzuke but I like to make them from scratch in the summer when most of the ingredients are fresh and in season.
What is Fukujinzuke
A customary item for Japanese curry, Fukujinzuke (福神漬) is a type of Tsukemono, Japanese pickled vegetables. The pickles are easily recognizable for its eye-catching red color as they sit atop in almost every curry dish. Despite its intriguing name, Fukujinzuke are simply made of a medley of vegetables such as daikon, eggplant, lotus root, cucumber, and bamboo shoots. They are cut thinly into small pieces, salted to withdraw the moisture, and then pickled in a soy sauce, mirin, and sugar-based liquid. There are a few theories of the origin of the name “Fukujinzuke.” One of the popular theories is that the pickles use 7 kinds of vegetables, hence it’s named “Fukujin-zuke” (Fukujin-pickle) as a tribute to the Seven Lucky Gods, or Shichi-fukujin (七福神). The commercial Fukujinzuke typically use food coloring to give it the signature red, but I prefer to leave the coloring out and rather focus on the taste and texture when making the pickle at home. Fukujinzuke is savory, sweet, and tangy, and addictingly crunchy. That’s why we love fukujinzuke with steamed rice and curry!
How to Make Homemade Fukujinzuke
Ingredients You’ll Need
DaikonCucumberLotus RootEggplantYoung GingerShiso leavesCondiments: soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, kombu, and white sesame seeds
Overview of Cooking Process
Cut vegetables into thin, small pieces. Sprinkle salt to withdraw moisture from the vegetables for 20 minutes.Make pickling solution by combining all the condiments.Rinse the vegetables and squeeze the water out.Blanch the vegetables in the pickling solution for 20-30 seconds and transfer to the jars.Reduce the pickling solution by simmering for 5 minutes.Add the solution to the vegetables and let them marinade overnight. Enjoy!
Important Tips To Read Before Cooking
I like to cut the vegetables into small and thin slices, about 3 mm thickness and less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares. The uniformed size and thickness help to cook the vegetables evenly. I use 3% salt of the vegetable weight to withdraw moisture out of the vegetables. You can increase up to 5%; it will be slightly saltier, but the food last longer (food safety).The process of salting and removing moisture from the vegetables and the cooking them determines the end texture of your Fukujinzuke. I like my vegetables to on the crunchier side, but you can always experiment and adjust the recipe instructions to your liking. Reduce the pickling solution slightly to let the moisture evaporate so you will have a stronger pickling solution. It’s best to enjoy after pickling overnight.
Delicious Japanese Curry Recipes
Enjoy your homemade Fukujinzuke with any of these curry recipes! The pickled vegetables are delicious on their own too, so I won’t tell if you take a few bites even without the curry or enjoy them with Ochazuke!
Japanese Chicken CurryPressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Japanese CurryJapanese Beef CurryJapanese Seafood CurryKatsu CurryCurry Udon
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