Shibazuke
Shibazuke, like f*ckujinzuke, includes eggplant — a plant not often associated in Western cuisine with pickling. Like beni shoga and umeboshi, shibazuke also includes shiso. And, like beni shoga and gari, it has ginger. Then to top it all off, it’s pickled in umezu, the brine resulting from the umeboshi pickling process.
Shibazuke is like a mish-mash of pickled goodness. Along with the aforementioned ingredients, it traditionally includes cucumber as well and can contain other ingredients, too.
This relish-like end product is thought to originate in Kyoto, where it’s said to have been made for over a millennium. The taste is salty and a bit tangy. Traditionally, the pickling process takes up to a week give or take, but some quick recipes will only require a day or two of fermentation. Once done, shibazuke is popular on top of rice bowls, or to add a tart, savory accent to any number of dishes.
