Name: Simmered Young Ginger (Tsukudani)
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: Young ginger: 200g; Salt (for salting): 1 tsp; Bonito flakes (katsuobushi): 4g; Salted kelp (shio kombu): 10g; Mirin: 50ml; Sugar: 30g; Sake: 50ml; Soy sauce: 45ml; Toasted sesame seeds: to taste

About "Simmered Young Ginger (Tsukudani)"

This is the ultimate make-ahead side dish: simmered seasonal young ginger (tsukudani) finished with salted kelp (shio kombu) and bonito flakes. The key is to draw out the harshness with salt, parboil it to help the flavors absorb, and then simmer over medium-low heat with a drop lid. Letting it rest in the fridge for 1 hour allows the flavors to meld beautifully. It keeps for 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge, or 1 to 2 months in the freezer.

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Tips for Making "Simmered Young Ginger (Tsukudani)"

Prep
- Sprinkle a little salt over the julienned young ginger and massage it in, then let it sit for 15 minutes. This draws out the harsh spiciness, making the flavor milder.
Seasoning Prep
- Microwave the bonito flakes at 500W for 1 minute until crispy, then crush them into a powder with your hands. This is a crucial step to build the umami base.
Prep
- Rinse the salted young ginger to wash away excess salt, then parboil in boiling water for 2 minutes. This helps the seasonings penetrate to the core and prevents uneven flavoring.
Heat Control
- After adding the seasonings, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer with a foil drop lid. This ensures the flavors distribute evenly, even with a small amount of liquid.
Heat Control
- Simmer with the drop lid for the first 3 minutes, add toasted sesame seeds, and simmer for another 3 minutes. The key is to turn off the heat when there is still a little liquid left, rather than drying it out completely.
Seasoning
- Letting it rest in the fridge for 1 hour allows the flavors to settle and deepen, making it even more delicious.

Ingredients for "Simmered Young Ginger (Tsukudani)"

9 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

Youngginger: 200g
Salt(for salting): 1 tsp
Bonitoflakes (katsuobushi): 4g
Saltedkelp (shio kombu): 10g
Mirin:50ml
Sugar:30g
Sake:50ml
Soysauce: 45ml
Toastedsesame seeds: to taste

How to Make "Simmered Young Ginger (Tsukudani)"

1
Finely julienne the young ginger.
2
Transfer the julienned young ginger to a bowl, sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt, and massage it in gently.
3
Let it sit for 15 minutes to draw out the harsh spiciness of the young ginger.
4
Microwave 4g of bonito flakes at 500W for 1 minute.
5
In a separate bowl, combine 10g of salted kelp, 50ml of mirin, 30g of sugar, 50ml of sake, and 45ml of soy sauce.
6
Crush the microwaved, crispy bonito flakes into a fine powder with your hands and add them to the seasoning mixture.
7
Rinse the salted young ginger with water to wash away excess salt, then squeeze out the moisture thoroughly.
8
Parboil the young ginger in boiling water for 2 minutes.
9
Transfer the parboiled young ginger to a frying pan over medium heat and stir-fry briefly to evaporate any excess surface moisture.
10
Add all of the combined seasonings and mix well to ensure they are evenly distributed.
11
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a drop lid made of aluminum foil, and simmer for 3 minutes.
12
Remove the drop lid and sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds to taste to add a nutty aroma.
13
Replace the drop lid and simmer for another 3 minutes.
14
Remove the lid and turn off the heat when there is still a little liquid left, rather than letting it dry out completely.
15
Transfer the finished tsukudani to a glass container.
16
Allow it to cool slightly, then let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Food Science

Why This Dish Tastes So Good

By controlling moisture through salting and parboiling, the excess water and harsh spiciness of the young ginger are expelled, making it easier for the seasonings to penetrate. Additionally, combining the inosinate in bonito flakes with the glutamate in salted kelp and soy sauce creates an umami synergy, resulting in a deep, rich flavor. Furthermore, adding sweetness, saltiness, and umami to the ginger's natural spiciness balances the five basic tastes, creating a complex and deeply satisfying dish.

Umami CompoundsBalancing the Five TastesMoisture Control

Detailed Commentary on "Simmered Young Ginger (Tsukudani)"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Julienning Young Ginger & a Beach Story

The star of today's show is 200g of seasonal young ginger, a must-eat for this time of year. First, we'll finely julienne it. As the rhythmic sound of the knife echoes, the speaker shares a story about a recent trip to the beach. They drove four hours each way to 'MINAMI-IZU LAND' in Izu, where they played, ate delicious food, and enjoyed the hotel. However, their best memory was eating a cup of instant noodles (Seafood Noodle) on the sandy beach. 'Instant noodles eaten at the beach taste like they cost $50 a cup,' they joke. With their signature humor, they happily explain that jumping into the ocean is enough to scare away the 'triple crown' of high blood pressure, back pain, and frozen shoulder.

Salting and the Golden Seasoning Ratio

Transfer the julienned young ginger to a bowl, sprinkle with a little salt, and massage it in. Letting it sit for 15 minutes after salting draws out the harsh spiciness of the ginger, resulting in a milder flavor. Meanwhile, prepare the seasoning mixture. First, microwave 4g of bonito flakes at 500W for 1 minute. In a bowl, combine 10g of salted kelp (shio kombu), 50ml of mirin, 30g of sugar, 50ml of sake, and 45ml of soy sauce. Crush the microwaved, crispy bonito flakes into a powder with your hands and add them to the bowl. These bonito flakes form the savory umami base.

Pro Tip: Parboiling for Better Flavor Absorption

After sitting for 15 minutes, the salted young ginger will have released moisture and softened. Rinse it quickly with water to wash away excess salt, then squeeze out the moisture thoroughly. Next, parboil it in boiling water for 2 minutes. This extra step ensures that the seasonings will easily penetrate to the core later, preventing uneven flavoring. 'Even though being lazy is my second least favorite thing in the world, I never skip this step,' the speaker says, passionately emphasizing its importance.

Adding Seasonings & Simmering with a Drop Lid

Immediately transfer the parboiled young ginger back to the frying pan over medium heat, stir-frying briefly to evaporate any excess surface moisture. Once dry, pour in all of the pre-mixed seasonings. Mix well to ensure the ginger is evenly coated. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a drop lid made of aluminum foil, and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Using a drop lid allows the flavors to distribute evenly and thoroughly, even with a small amount of liquid.

Toasted Sesame Seeds & Leaving a Little Liquid

After 3 minutes, remove the drop lid and check the delicious bubbling sound. Sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds to taste for a nutty aroma, replace the drop lid, and simmer for another 3 minutes. When the time is up, remove the lid and stir-fry to reduce the liquid. The key is to turn off the heat when there is still 'a little liquid left' rather than letting it dry out completely. Leaving this bit of moisture is the secret to letting the flavors fully meld into the ginger as it cools.

Chilling in the Fridge and Taste Test!

Transfer the finished tsukudani to a glass container suitable for refrigeration. While it is delicious right out of the pan, letting it cool and rest in the fridge for about 1 hour allows the flavors to settle and deepen. When taking it out of the fridge, there is a playful moment where the speaker almost eats a macaron meant for their daughter, joking, 'I'd probably get ignored for two years, so I'll put it back.' Finally, they serve a generous portion over a steaming bowl of white rice for a taste test. 'So incredibly good!' and 'If this isn't a staple on your rice, you should go to jail!' they rave in conclusion.

About 夕方食堂

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