Recipe: Gari – Japanese-style pickled ginger

The essential companion to sushi. This version of pickled ginger is made without any white sugar. Recipe by Lisa Angelina Goertz

Ingredients:

• 300-400 g large knobs of fresh ginger
• 150 ml rice vinegar
• 150 ml water
• 3 tbsp agave syrup
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 preserving jar

Instructions:

1. Slice the ginger into thin strips with an asparagus or potato peeler. You can also use a sharp kitchen knife.
2. Blanch the ginger strips for 2 to 3 minutes in boiling water to take the bite out of them.
3. Strain off the liquid and save it for another use, such as in ginger tea.
4. Place the drained ginger strips into a bowl with 1 tbsp salt and knead well with your hands. The salt will draw moisture out of the ginger and further reduce spiciness.
5. Bring the vinegar, water, agave syrup and the rest of the salt to a boil just until everything is dissolved.
6. Squeeze the liquid out of the ginger strips with your hands and put them into a preserving jar.
7. Pour over the prepared vinegar mixture until the ginger is completely submerged. The pickled ginger will develop its full flavour after a few days in the jar.