Hakusai no Tsukemono (白菜漬け), also known as Japanese pickled Napa cabbage is made by fermenting Napa cabbage with salt and other seasonings, such as red chili pepper, yuzu or kombu. The fermentation process creates a tangy and slightly sour flavor, along with a crunchy texture.
What is Tsukemono?
“つけもの” (tsukemono) is a Japanese term that refers to pickled or preserved vegetables. Tsukemono is a traditional side dish in Japanese cuisine and is often served as a condiment accompanying rice or as a side dish to complement the main course. There is a wide variety of tsukemono, and they can be made using different vegetables and pickling methods.
Potential health benefits from eating Tsukemono
Probiotics
The fermentation process involved in making pickles encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria, providing a natural source of probiotics. These probiotics help with digestion and immune function.
Low Calories
Pickled vegetables are often low in calories, making them a healthy and flavorful addition to meals without significantly impacting overall calorie intake.
Ingredients and tools for pickled napa cabbage
Napa cabbage (白菜)
Napa cabbage is a type of Chinese cabbage with long, crinkly green leaves. It’s often used in Asian dishes like stir-fries and soups, and it’s the main ingredient in dishes like Korean kimchi. You can easily find it from Asian grocery stores.
Substitution
Cabbage
Yuzu (ゆず)
Yuzu is a citrus fruit that is widely used in Japanese cuisine. It has a unique flavor profile, combining elements of lemon, mandarin orange, and grapefruit. Yuzu is often used to add a citrusy and aromatic touch to various dishes, sauces, dressings, and beverages.
Substitution
Lime
Kombu (昆布)
Kombu is a dried kelp, or seaweed that is commonly used in Japanese cuisine, particularly in making dashi, a traditional Japanese soup stock. Kombu adds umami flavor to dishes valued for its rich nutritional content, including minerals and glutamic acid, which contributes to its savory taste.
Substitution
Red chili peppers
Salt
Good quality of kosher salt.
Stock pot
Big enough to store the Napa cabbage
Weight stone (漬物石)
Weight stone is used to place on top of the pickling vegetable to squeeze out any excess water. Also, it helps with seasonings to soak into the vegetables.
Don’t have a weight stone? Try placing a plastic bottle filled with water on top of a plate and place them on top of the vegetables instead.
Made too much? No Need to Worry!
While the pickled Napa cabbage is delightful on its own as a side dish, over time, as fermentation takes place, it may develop a tangy flavor. In the event it becomes overly sour or if there’s an excess that cannot be consumed as is, consider turning it into a delicious stir-fry. Just stir-fry the drained Napa cabbage along with your favorite protein or vegetables in a pan with sesame oil.
Hakusai no Tsukemono (白菜の漬物) - Picked Nappa Cabbage
Equipment
- Weight Stone substitution: filled water bottles
- Stock Pot
Ingredients
- Nappa Cabbage
- Salt 3-4 % of salt of Napa cabbage‘s weight
- 3 Yuzu Substitution: Grapefruits, oranges, or lemons
- 2 Dried kelp
- 2 Red chili peppers if you like a bit of spicyness
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut the Napa cabbage into quarters as picture. Some stores sell already cut Nappa cabbage. in that case, skip this instructions.
- Wash the vegetable. 【Tip】Don't squeeze the water. It will taste better with some water left on the vegitables.
- Rub salt between the each white stems (about 1/3 of the length) of Napa cabbage.
- Place the Nappa cabbage into the stock pot as the stem parts alternately in a large stock pot.
- In a stock pot, put in seasonings. yuzu cut in half, dried kelp, and chilli peppers. Also, sprinkle a pinch of salt.
- If you have more than 2 quarters of Nappa cabbage, repeat the same instruction (Step3 - Step5).
- Press the vegetables tightly using a weight stone, and leave the weight inside and cover with a lid.
Cooking process
- If the room temperature is more than 25° C (77 ° F), leave the cooking pot outside for 5 hours and then store it in the fridge.If the room temperature is below 25° C (77 ° F), leave the cooking pot outside for 1 whole day and then store it in the fridge.
- Once day, press the vegetables tightly using a weight stone and turn over the vegetables to ensure that the flavourful liquid spreads evenly throughout.【Tip】As time passes, water from the vegetable will come out as a picture. Do not discard it. This flavourful liquid, combined with the seasonings, will create the aroma.Repeat this for 5 days and it should be ready!【Tip】If you like more fermented sour flavor, leave repeat the step for 10 days.
Finishing - Do you want to serve it more Japanese restaurant style?
- Cut off the white stems, and place the 4-5 piece of Nappa leaves alternatively on the Makisu (巻きす). Makisu (巻きす) is a bamboo rolling mat commonly used for making sushi rolls (maki-zushi). 【Tip】If you don't have one, a plastic rap can be a substitution.
- Roll the Nappa leaves, and squeeze out the water.
- Cut into 3 cm-width (1 inch) pieces, and place on the small plate. Topping with some small piece of chilli peppers and kelp which we used for seasoning.
- Enjoy it with steamed rice!
