In her new book The Japanese Art of Pickling & Fermenting, Yoko Nakazawa, who grew up in Japan and has lived in Australia since 2013, shares her passion for pickles. In this extract, she explains why she finds joy in making otsukemono – Japanese pickles – and how easy it is for everyone to try.
I've been eating home-style Japanese pickles since I was a child. And while they may look modest, their flavours are deep and rich.
Our family was almost self-sufficient in vegetables; Dad grew seasonal produce in our garden, and Mum would prepare it in various ways, ensuring we never tired of the same thing. She would cook the vegetables or turn them into pickles, all while discussing things like, ‘Maybe this one fermented a bit too long’, or ‘This one turned out delicious!’ Through these simple home-cooked meals, we enjoyed the bounty of our garden, savoured the changing seasons, and preserved food through pickling. In that sense, I guess I received a kind of pickle education from an early age.
For me, pickles announce the new season. They reflect the flavours of time – spring’s wild vegetables, early summer’s plums, summer’s cucumbers, autumn’s chrysanthemum flowers, and, of course, the winter scents of yuzu and thick daikon radish.
Beyond preservation: discovering Japanese otsukemono
In Japan, the world of otsukemono (‘pickles’ in Japanese) is incredibly diverse, with more than 600 known varieties. Otsukemono were originally made as a way to preserve food, and they were particularly common in colder regions, especially in snowy areas. Today, across Japan, a wide array of traditional vegetables are fermented or immersed in various pickling bases. The diversity of otsukemono is remarkable, deeply reflecting the regional characteristics of each area.
Cucumber and umeboshi asazuke (quick pickle). Credit: Smith Street Books / Rochelle Eagle
What are otsukemono?
Otsukemono are vegetables, and sometimes fish, that are preserved by being soaked or fermented with salt or Japanese fermented seasonings such as miso, tamari or vinegar. The resulting flavour varies depending on the type of vegetable, the seasoning used for pickling and the fermentation period. Most pickles are savoury and are often eaten as aside dish with rice. When eaten this way, they amazingly make the rice taste twice or even three times as good. Otsukemono are also commonly served as accompaniments with morning or afternoon tea and, of course, they pair wonderfully with Japanese tea.
What can you pickle and ferment?
Almost any vegetable can be made into otsukemono: cucumbers, carrots, turnips, daikon, cabbage, wombok (Chinese cabbage), cauliflower ... Whether it’s a vegetable you love, one you’ve harvested from your garden or have been gifted from a neighbour, or some delicious-looking produce from the farmers’ market, you can try pickling them all.
Making otsukemono isn’t just about the end result; it’s about rediscovering the joy of crafting something by hand, nurturing it as it develops, and embracing the ambiguity of a process without absolute answers. It’s about reconnecting with nature and finding harmony within it.
Yoko Nakazawa and her new book. Credit: Smith Street Books / Rochelle Eagle
This is an edited extract from The Japanese Art of Pickling & Fermenting by (Smith Street Books, $49.99). Photography © Rochelle Eagle.
MORE JAPANESE PICKLES AND FERMENTS
Quick pickled mushrooms, pickled spring onions and miso cured cucumbers (tsukemono)
