Shibazuke (Kyoto Purple Aubergine Pickles)

Name: Shibazuke (Kyoto Purple Aubergine Pickles)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 25 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 Japanese or Chinese aubergines (about 300 g); 2 Japanese or small cucumbers (about 170 g); 3 Myoga (Japanese ginger buds) (optional); 3 cm piece Ginger; 2 tsp Salt; 15 red shiso leaves (or green shiso); 4 tbsp Umezu (ume plum vinegar); 1 tbsp Mirin

Kyoto’s jewel-bright pickle of aubergine, cucumber and ginger, stained magenta by red shiso and tangy ume vinegar.

Japanese · Sides & salads · prep 20 min · cook 0 min · waiting 25 h · serves 8 · Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, Pescatarian, Keto, Low-carb

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Ingredients

2 Japanese or Chinese aubergines (about 300 g)
2 Japanese or small cucumbers (about 170 g)
3 Myoga (Japanese ginger buds) (optional)
3 cm piece Ginger
2 tsp Salt
15 red shiso leaves (or green shiso)
4 tbsp Umezu (ume plum vinegar)
1 tbsp Mirin

Method

Cut the aubergines in half lengthwise and then into thin half-moons. Slice the cucumbers and myoga thinly and cut the ginger into fine threads.
Toss the vegetables with the salt in a zip-top bag, press out the air and put something heavy on top. Leave for 1 hour until lots of liquid has come out.
Tip the vegetables into a clean cloth or sieve and squeeze them firmly to remove the salty liquid.
Shred the shiso and return everything to a clean bag with the ume vinegar and mirin. Massage well, press out the air and seal.
Refrigerate for at least 1 day, turning the bag now and then. The pickles turn a vivid purple-red and keep for about a week.

Tips

Ume vinegar (umezu) is the salty-sour brine from making umeboshi; it does the colouring and the seasoning.
Chop the pickles finely and mix into rice or tartare sauce.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook Chopstick Chronicles

Open Shibazuke (Kyoto Purple Aubergine Pickles) in Nouns Cooking