Pickled ginger

When made from scratch, ginger pickles have a beautiful soft pink blush, which is worlds away from the glowing technicoloured preservative-laden stuff you’ll find in most sushi joints. The pink colour occurs naturally when you use very young ginger. Harvested in summer, young ginger has thin skin with touches of pink. Look for it in your Asian grocery store or good greengrocer. If you can’t find it, or it’s the wrong season, don’t let that stop you. Made with older ginger, which is a little more fibrous, your pickles will be a pretty pale yellow and will have a stronger ginger taste.

MAKES: 1 x 280 ml (10 oz) jar

INGREDIENTS

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) raw or granulated white sugar

15 cm (6 inch) knob of fresh young ginger

METHOD

Wash a small glass jar in very hot soapy water, then rinse well and place on a tea towel to air dry. There is no need to properly sterilise the jar, as this pickle will be kept in the fridge.

Gently heat the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

While the syrup is cooling, peel the papery skin off the ginger by either scraping it with a teaspoon, or using a small sharp knife. Slice into very thin rounds with a vegetable peeler or mandoline. You should end up with about 1 cup.

Pack the sliced ginger tightly into your jar and cover with the warm vinegar mixture; you may have some brine left over. Clean the rim of your jar with paper towel and screw the lid on.

Leave to cool, then store in the fridge for at least 24 hours before using. The pickled ginger will keep for about 2 months.

HOW TO USE

• Serve alongside your favourite sushi.
• Use the brine instead of vinegar in salad dressings, for a gentle hit of ginger.
• Pour any leftover brine over peeled and thinly sliced carrots, leave to marinate for 30 minutes, then use on a baguette with chicken, pâté and coriander (cilantro) for a Vietnamese-style roll.