00:00Every great sushi experience needs the perfect palette cleanser.
00:03Today I'm bringing the authentic Japanese experience straight to your kitchen with my
00:08homemade curry recipe.
00:09For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website, just google sushi ginger space
00:14that you'd find me.
00:15Let's start by making a pickling liquid.
00:18In a saucepan, combine 250ml of water with 125ml of rice vinegar, 80g of light brown sugar,
00:271 teaspoon of light soy sauce, and a small piece of dried kelp called konbu.
00:33Konbu is going to add those subtle umami notes that transform this from a simple pickle into
00:39something truly special.
00:40Hit this mixture over medium heat until it just begins to bubble around the edges.
00:46You want it almost at a boil, but not quite there.
00:49If you want a paler pink curry, go ahead and use white sugar.
00:53Also, fair warning, my recipe leans towards the sweeter side,
00:57so feel free to dial back the sugar.
00:59Turn it to heat immediately.
01:01If you let the konbu boil vigorously, it'll release bitter compounds and make your liquid
01:06too slimy.
01:07Let this pickling liquid cool while we prep a star ingredient.
01:11Take a young ginger, also known as new ginger,
01:14and tie it into manageable 5cm sections.
01:20Give these pieces a brief soak in water, gently rubbing them to remove any dirt hiding in the
01:26crevices.
01:27If you spot stubborn brown bits, don't hesitate to scrape them gently with a spoon.
01:32The skin is so tender on young ginger that you don't need a peeler.
01:37This isn't the tough woody ginger root you find here around at grocery store.
01:41Young ginger has thin, tender skin and a much milder bite.
01:46In Japan, the best time to make curry is during June and July when young ginger is in season.
01:52Those beautiful pink-tinged stems are just for show.
01:56They contain the natural pigments that give authentic
01:59curry its characteristic pale pink colour without any artificial colouring.
02:04Now, here's where I have to come clean.
02:07When I went to the supermarket to film this, I couldn't find a single piece of young ginger
02:12with a good amount of those gorgeous red tips I'd been talking about.
02:17Ideally, you want to hunt down ginger with more red sections like the one I used for my website recipe
02:23than what I managed to find this time.
02:26Slice the ginger body into paper-thin pieces about 1-2mm thick.
02:30I prefer using a sharp knife over a peeler because it gives me better control but either works.
02:37You want these slices thin enough to pickle properly but not so thin they fall apart.
02:43Time for blanching.
02:45Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil and add both the sliced ginger with those pink stems
02:51intact.
02:52Blanch for exactly 1 minute.
02:54This brief heat treatment is hitting the sweet spot.
02:57Long enough to mellow the ginger's sharp bite and open up its fibre to better absorb our pickling liquid,
03:04but short enough to preserve that essential ginger zing.
03:08Go longer and you'll start losing the characteristic punch to the cooking water.
03:14Here's a bonus tip.
03:15Don't pour the ginger-infused water down and drain.
03:18It makes an excellent base for homemade ginger ale.
03:21Just add sugar, fresh lemon juice and cinnamon.
03:25Then top with sparkling water for a refreshing treat during the summer.
03:29Drain that ginger in a colander and sprinkle with salt.
03:32Now, resist the urge to shock it in ice water.
03:35Let it cool naturally.
03:37Ice water can strip away too much of the ginger's natural heat along with excess moisture
03:42and we want to preserve that perfect balance.
03:46Once the ginger is cool enough to handle comfortably, squeeze out as much excess water as possible with your hands.
03:52That salt you added earlier has been working its magic, drawing out moisture and further mellowing the ginger's intensity,
04:00creating the perfect canvas for our pickling liquid.
04:03Place the squeezed ginger into a clean, sterilised, sealable container as you go.
04:09Now for the final assembly.
04:11Remove the kombu from your cooled pickling liquid.
04:14It's done its job.
04:15Pour the pickling liquid over the ginger, making sure every piece is completely submerged.
04:20This is crucial for proper pickling and preventing spoilage.
04:25Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before your first taste.
04:29Your ginger will continue to develop flavour and that beautiful blush pink colour over several days.
04:36It's absolutely fascinating to watch.
04:40And there you have it, your very own homemade curry.
04:43Enjoy with your favourite sushi and store it in clean airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
04:50It can last up to a month or longer when properly prepared.
04:53If you see any cloudiness, mould or bad smells, does it help.
04:57Want even more delicious recipes?
05:00Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
05:04Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time.
05:06And if you're ready to cook, grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box
05:11with a picture that's about to pop up on your screen.
05:14There we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now.
05:17And if you want to watch more similar videos,
05:19don't miss my pickled cucumber recipe popping up on your screen as well.
05:23Thanks so much for watching and I hope to see you in the next one. Bye.
Comments