Japanese Pickles

Tsukemono are a cornerstone of the Japanese diet, usually eaten as a side dish with rice. There are various types depending on the pickling method used. Nukazuke are made from fresh vegetables like cucumbers and Chinese cabbage, pickled in a pot of nuka (rice bran). Other types of pickles include sokusekizuke (quickly prepared pickles), kasuzuke (pickled in sake lees) and kojizuke (pickled in malted rice). Salt used in the pickling process helps the water in the vegetables to seep out, creating the characteristic texture of tsukemono.