Shibazuke is a popular pickle originated in Kyoto. These salty and slightly sour pickles have beautiful natural purple color from purple shiso leaves. Enjoy these pickles with steamed rice or Ochazuke.

Shibazuke Pickles 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Japanese/Chinese eggplant (400 g)
• 2 Persian/Japanese cucumbers (170 g)
• 3 Myoga ginger (54 g)
• 1 inch ginger (22 g)
• kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; Use half for table salt) (11 g - 2% of total vegetables)

Pickling

• 20 Shiso leaves (Ooba)
• 4 Tbsp ume plum vinegar
• 1 Tbsp mirin

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Gather all the ingredients. Wash the vegetables and weigh them. My vegetables weigh 573 g. Use salt equivalent to 2% of vegetables’ total weight, which is 11 g.
   
2. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and slice diagonally.
3. Soak the eggplants in water to prevent from changing color.
4. Cut the ends of cucumbers and cut again in half lengthwise.
5. Remove the seeds with a teaspoon and slice diagonally.
6. Cut myoga in half lengthwise and julienne.
7. Peel the skin and julienne the ginger.
8. Combine all the vegetables in a freezer bag and sprinkle the salt.
9. Mix all together and knead the vegetables. Press the vegetables with 2 x weight of vegetables (roughly 1 kg). Leave at room temperature for half day (I recommend just 1 hour - See my blog post for the reason).
10. Tightly squeeze the liquid out from the vegetables (you can first drain the vegetables into the strainer, too, if you like) and discard the liquid. Transfer the squeezed vegetables back to the bag.
11. Cut the shiso leaves into juliennes.
12. Add shiso leaves, ume plum vinegar, and mirin in the bag.
13. Mix and knead the vegetables.
14. Remove the air out of the bag and press with heavy object. Keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and you can start eating it. Transfer to an airtight container or mason jar and consume in 2 weeks.

RECIPE NOTES

Use Red Purple Shiso Leaves instead of Green Shiso Leaves: Prepare 30 red purple shiso leaves and salt (2% of shiso weight). Divide the salt into 3 portions.  Combine the shiso and 1/3 of salt and knead well.  Squeeze water out and continue 2 more times.  Then add 2 Tbsp mirin and 2 Tbsp rice vinegar.  Then transfer that to a bowl with tightly-squeezed vegetables.

https://www.justonecookbook.com/shibazuke-pickles/