Oshinko (Japanese Pickled Vegetables)

Oshinko is a very simple Japanese pickle. It is usually served in a small dish along side of a meal, with or without a dash of soy sauce. It may also be eaten as a snack all by itself, or used atop of a bowl of steamed rice. Sometimes they will put the Oshinko on top of a bowl of rice and then pour green tea over it, making a sort of rice soup. It sounds odd, but it is really quite tasty!

You may use any combination of vegetables that you prefer. A mixture or just one type, it is totally up to you. You need about 2 pounds of veggies though, I used the following.

Ingredients

Napa Cabbage, washed and sliced into pieces no larger than 2 x 2 inches.

English Cucumber, peeled and slice thin

Carrot, peeled and sliced thin

Daikon, peeled and sliced thin

You will also need:

2-4 dried chili peppers, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup coarsely ground salt

Directions

Place cleaned sliced veggies in a large bowl.

Pour the salt over the veggies and toss well.

Cover them with plastic wrap.

Place a plate on top of the plastic wrap and weight it down with a brick or other heavy object. ( I used a 6 pack of bottled soda ).

Place the bowl in a cool location (40-60 F). Every once in a while remove the cover and the plastic wrap, stir the veggies and drain any liquid that has accumulated. Do this for 3 days. Store the finished product in the refridgerator.

Note: You may eat the pickles as soon as the first day if you like. 3 days is the recommended time but taste them and when they're to your liking, enjoy!