Senmaizuke (Japanese Pickled Turnip)

Instructions

1. Before You Start…Please note that this recipe requires 12+ hours of salting and picking time.
2. Gather all the ingredients.
3. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup rice vinegar (unseasoned), ¾ cup sugar, and 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
4. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat. While mixing the liquid, let it simmer for a minute until the sugar dissolves and the vinegar smell is removed. Turn off the heat and set it aside to cool.
5. Peel 1 lb Japanese turnips (kabu) using a vegetable peeler or a knife.
6. Cut the turnips into 1⁄16-inch (2-mm) slices. Here, I use a mandoline slicer to achieve a uniform thickness.
7. Sprinkle 5 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt all over the turnip slices and rub/knead/massage the turnip well with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. The turnip slices will start to sweat and release moisture; this helps remove bitterness, too.
8. After 30 minutes, transfer to a sieve and rinse the turnip slices under running water to get rid of the salt and sliminess.
9. Squeeze the turnip slices to remove excess water and stack the slices.
10. Cut 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) into smaller pieces (because I use three different size jars). Remove and discard the seeds from 1 dried red chili pepper and slice into rounds.
11. Prepare clean jars or airtight containers.
12. Put some turnip slices, a piece of kombu, and red chili in each jar, and pour the sweet pickling solution over to cover the turnips.
13. Place the pickling weight (or utensil) on top of the turnip and put the lid on. Keep the jars in the refrigerator overnight.
14. The pickled turnips are now ready to serve. You can remove the pickling weight. Kombu gets slimy after soaking in the liquid overnight, making the pickling solution slightly slimy/thick. However, this is a feature of Senmaizuke and you don't need to worry about it.
15. Transfer the turnip slices onto a plate. I like serving each slice of turnip folded as you see in the picture. Enjoy!
16. You can keep the pickles in the marinade for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Use clean utensils to pick up the turnip to serve from the jar.