Steps

1. Rub 1 cucumber and 5 okra with a pinch of salt. (This is the key!) This removes the bumps and spines and makes the color more vibrant.
   🕒 01:31
2. Remove the stem from 1 eggplant, dice it into 5mm cubes, and soak in water to remove bitterness.
   🕒 02:26
3. Cut off both ends of 1 cucumber and dice it into 5mm cubes.
   🕒 03:39
4. Cut off the ends of 2 myoga ginger and dice them into 5mm cubes.
   🕒 04:39
5. For 20g of fresh ginger, no need to peel if the skin is thin; finely chop. (This is the key!) If using regular ginger, lightly soak the chopped ginger in water to remove bitterness. Fresh ginger does not need to be soaked.
   🕒 05:28
6. Finely chop 5 shiso leaves.
   🕒 07:10
7. Add the salted okra to boiling water and blanch for 20 to 30 seconds while stirring.
   🕒 07:34
8. Immediately plunge the blanched okra into ice water to cool rapidly, then pat dry. (This is the key!) Rapid cooling makes the green color vibrant and stops further cooking.
   🕒 07:57
9. Cut off the ends of the cooled okra, then cut it vertically into 4 pieces, and then into 5mm cubes.
   🕒 08:26
10. Drain the soaked eggplant, place in a bowl, toss with 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, and massage. (This is the key!) Squeeze out the water from the eggplant thoroughly to prevent it from becoming watery and to extend its shelf life.
    🕒 09:05
11. Squeeze the eggplant that has been tossed with soy sauce firmly.
    🕒 09:51
12. In a separate bowl, combine 4 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine), and 1 tsp sugar from [A], and mix. (This is the key!) If you're concerned about the alcohol in the mirin, heat it in the microwave at 600W for about 30 seconds without a lid to evaporate the alcohol.
    🕒 10:16
13. Add all the chopped ingredients (cucumber, okra, eggplant, fresh ginger, myoga ginger, shiso leaves) and the prepared [A] seasoning to the bowl and mix.
    🕒 10:38
14. Add approx. 1 tsp konbu tea (kelp tea) to adjust the flavor. (This is the key!) The amount of konbu tea may vary depending on the manufacturer's saltiness, so taste and adjust accordingly. If you don't have konbu tea, you can add finely chopped salted kelp or use a chopped kelp stock as a substitute.
    🕒 11:08
15. Once everything is mixed, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. (This is the key!) Pickled dishes taste even better when the flavors have time to meld.
    🕒 11:56