PICKLED GINGER

Fresh pickled ginger is easy to make, and a delicious accompaniment to your next homemade sushi platter! Traditionally, pink pickled ginger is made by adding shiso leaves, however commercial processing now means most store-bought pickled ginger is artificially dyed pink. Rice wine vinegar makes pale yellow pickled ginger, white vinegar makes white pickled ginger.

    

INGREDIENTS:
450g (1 pound) fresh baby ginger (old is too fibrous)
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups vinegar (rice wine vinegar, white vinegar, or your favourite fruit vinegar)
3/4 cup sugar, approximately (adjust to taste) OR 1/4 cup honey OR 1/3 cup maple syrup 
3-4 pickled umeboshi plums, pitted (optional: these salty pickled plums are made with shiso leaves so will make your pickled ginger a pale pink colour)
     
METHOD:

1. Peel ginger by using a spoon and slice as thinly as possible using a knife, mandolin or vegetable peeler.
2. Mix ginger and salt in a bowl. Rest 1 hour. 
3. Drain and rinse ginger to remove salt.
4. Cover jars with water and bring to a boil, boiling for 10 minutes. Once the time is up, turn the heat off and leave jars in the hot water until ready to fill.
5. Combine vinegar and sugar in a pan. Heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add ginger and set aside for 30 seconds. This helps to retain the ginger colour.
6. Place lids into a bowl of boiled water. Remove the lids from the water when you are ready to place them onto the jars to seal. 
7. Using a slotted spoon, pack ginger into jars to 1/2 inch (1cm) from the rim. Add hot pickling solution to 1cm from the rim. Remove bubbles, check headspace is correct, and wipe rims with damp paper towel then seal. 
8. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes (start timer once water returns to a full boil). When time is up, turn heat off and rest jars in water for 5 minutes before placing onto a towel-covered bench overnight to cool. 
9. The next day: check jars have sealed before labelling and storing in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 12 months. Jar lids should not flex up or down when pressed.