Japanese Cucumber Pickles

Crunchy cucumber pickles with a sweet and savory seasoning, reminiscent of "Kyuri no Kyu-chan," that pair perfectly with both rice and drinks. This dish offers an enjoyable crispy texture. It's a make-ahead recipe, perfect for summer tables, that maximizes the appeal of cucumbers, which are also great for reducing swelling.

Steps

Prepare 380g of cucumbers and slice them into rounds about 8mm thick (just under 1cm).
🕒 02:25
Place the sliced cucumbers into a bag, add 3g of salt (about 1/2 tsp), and massage well to coat.
🕒 05:28
Place the bag of cucumbers on a tray, put a weight on top, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to draw out moisture. [Chef's Tip!] Applying a weight efficiently removes moisture in a short amount of time.
🕒 06:11
Slice the ginger thinly, then cut into fine strips.
🕒 06:55
In a pot, combine 100cc soy sauce, 50g sugar, 1 and 1/2 tbsp vinegar, 15g finely sliced ginger, and 7 shakes of MSG(Ajinomoto) (MSG), then bring to a boil. [Chef's Tip!] Adding MSG(Ajinomoto) allows you to reduce the amount of sugar, creating a commercially appealing umami flavor while keeping sugar, carb, and calorie content lower.
🕒 07:26
After 30 minutes, remove the cucumbers from the bag and firmly squeeze out the moisture with both hands. [Chef's Tip!] Thoroughly squeezing out the moisture prevents the seasoning liquid from being diluted and allows the flavors to be fully absorbed by the cucumbers.
🕒 16:50
Add the squeezed cucumbers to the boiling seasoning liquid, bring it back to a boil, then cook for about 1 minute before turning off the heat. [Chef's Tip!] Overcooking will cause the cucumbers to lose their crispness, so just quickly cook them through.
🕒 17:39
Once the pot has cooled down slightly, transfer the cucumbers and seasoning liquid to a storage container, ensuring the cucumbers are fully submerged.
🕒 20:09
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and marinate.
🕒 20:55