If you’ve ever been to a sushi restaurant, you’ve probably seen small pieces of sushi ginger served with your meal. They are used as a palate cleanser in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. You can also find canned ginger at your local grocery store, but homemade pickled ginger tastes even better!
Pickled ginger (Gari)
Known as gari or beni shoga (Japanese pickled ginger) in Asian cuisine, this condiment is sweet, sour, and slightly spicy. Traditionally, it is eaten in between meals of sushi or sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish). The idea is to help your tongue taste the different fish flavors better!
You don’t have to go to a fancy sushi restaurant to get pickled ginger, though. Store-bought versions often contain ingredients like aspartame, artificial food coloring, and sketchy preservatives, so we don’t use that. Making pickled ginger at home is easy and will keep in the refrigerator for several months.
The best ginger
I use mature ginger root liberally in cooking, teas and beverages, and in herbal medicine because of its amazing health benefits. Mature ginger is very fibrous and much spicier than young ginger, so it’s not the best choice here. You want to look for young ginger. The skin is lighter in color and sometimes they still have pink tips. You can usually find these products at larger health food stores or even farmers markets.
When young ginger is pickled in rice vinegar, it will naturally turn a light pink color. That’s why grocery store versions often contain artificial red food dye. So, don’t panic if your pickled ginger turns pink in the refrigerator!
How to Make Pickled Ginger
The process is fairly simple, but it does take some time. I use apple cider vinegar for a lot of things, but it’s very strong and can overwhelm the subtle flavor of the ginger. Traditionally rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar is used, which has a mild flavor that accentuates the flavor of the ginger.
Most recipes also call for white sugar and kosher salt. However, I like to use organic cane sugar as a less refined alternative to bleached white sugar. I find that mineral-rich sea salt works just as well (if not better!) than refined salt.
The first step is to peel the ginger. The skin is so thin that using a knife or vegetable peeler would be overkill, but scraping it clean with a spoon works perfectly. After slicing it into thin slices, the next step is to use salt to remove some of the moisture. This helps the ginger absorb the flavor of the pickling liquid better.
The hardest part is waiting at least a week to eat it! Like most pickles, it needs some time to marinate all the flavors.
Let’s teach you how to make your own pickled ginger!
Homemade Garry Pickled Ginger Recipe
Elevate your dishes with homemade pickled ginger. It’s easy, delicious and worth the wait!
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Peel the ginger with a spoon and cut into thin slices. You can use a mandolin, but a vegetable peeler works best.
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Put the cut ginger into a ladle, sprinkle with salt and let it sit for 30 minutes to sweat. Fiddle with it occasionally.
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Spread the sliced ginger on a clean towel and remove excess water.
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In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar and sugar over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring the vinegar mixture to a boil.
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Transfer the ginger cubes to a Pyrex jar.
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Pour the pickling solution into a glass jar and let cool to room temperature.
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Transfer the jar to the refrigerator and let it sit for at least a week before using.
nutrient content
Homemade Garry Pickled Ginger Recipe
Amount per serving (1 tablespoon)
Calories 28
Calories from fat1
% Daily Value*
fat 0.1g0%
Saturated fat 0.03g0%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.02g
Monounsaturated fat 0.02g
sodium 220 mg10%
Potassium 61 mg2%
carbohydrate 7 grams2%
Fiber 0.3g1%
4 grams of sugar4%
protein 0.3g1%
Vitamin C 1 mg1%
calcium 3 mg0%
iron 0.1 mg1%
*Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Don’t be alarmed if your pickled ginger turns pink. This is a natural reaction between young ginger and rice vinegar.
What can you eat with pickled ginger?
You don’t have to eat sushi to eat pickled ginger! It pairs well with many Asian-inspired entrees and side dishes. Try some of the following methods:
What is your favorite dish with pickled ginger? What would you try it with? Leave a comment and let us know!