Fukujinzuke
(福神漬, Fukujin zuke, Japenese-style pickled vegetables)
Usually served as a side dish, fukujinzuke is the name of the Japanese-style pickled vegetables. The unique characteristic of the dish is the pickling procedure in which the vegetables are not traditionally pickled, but shortly brined and marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sake, and sugar.
Since the name of the dish derives from the term used to refer to the Seven Gods of Good Fortune - a group of deities native to China, India, and Japan - the pickle should traditionally include seven different ingredients. This tradition has been partially neglected, and nowadays it is not uncommon to use a variable number of components, which may include eggplants, shiitake mushrooms, daikon, radish, cucumber, carrots, and many other combinations.
All vegetables are cut into bite-sized pieces, brined in a mixture of water and salt and drained. Read more
They are then shortly boiled in a combination of soy sauce, vinegar, sake, and sugar. Stored in jars, these pickled vegetables can be eaten a couple of days after they have been made. Over time, the flavors will intensify and the marinade will thoroughly penetrate the vegetables.
Fukujinzuke is traditionally served alongside Japanese-style curries, in which the tangy and crunchy vegetables perfectly match the spiciness of the curry. It can also be eaten as a snack on its own, wrapped in salads, or accompanied by plain boiled rice.
