Living in Japan for almost a decade now, I am able to observe how the Japanese manage to live long…
While medical sciences have introduced some hacks to prolong life, the Japanese simply keeps on proving that the seemingly “basic” things such as fiber and nutrition must never be overlooked.
Since moving to a Japanese household, the dinner table typically looks like this.
Have you noticed the side dishes? My mother-in-law is very consistent in making sure that the kingdom plantae is well-represented at the dinner table.
A typical Japanese dinner table may not have those fancy table napkins or silverware but it sure does have what sustains our dietary needs.
Karashizuke are cucumbers (or other summer veggies) pickled in mustard. If you are living in Japan, I recommend having them with somen, fresh tomatoes, lemons, thin slices of pork seasoned with roasted sesame dressing.
Let’s get started.
Ingredients:
cucumbers- 1 kg
karashi (mustard) powder- 40 g
salt- 35 grams (or less, 25-30 should be fine)
sugar- 135 g
Procedure:
1. Wash the cucumbers.
2. Cut the ends.
3. Make stripes.
4. Cut in half.
5. Carve out the seeds.
6. Cut in chunks.
7. On a mixing bowl, add in karashi powder, salt and sugar. Toss.
8. Cover and store in the fridge for 24 hours.
9. Squeeze out the liquids before serving.
10. Enjoy!
NOTES:
1. Making stripes is optional. But if you can give it time, you are helping the cucumber absorb the flavors more efficiently.
2. I hope you have a big enough bowl so you can toss the ingredients thoroughly.
3. This is my first time to make this and I noticed that my hands felt hot (mustard’s fault) as I squeezed out the liquids. Probably, wearing gloves next time would be ideal.
May life bless you with more cucumbers and side dishes. And may you live a long, meaningful and beautiful life.
Special thanks to my husband for being the “hand model” for this recipe blog. And also special thanks to my mother-in-law for always sharing me her secret recipes.
Asian Santa
July 9, 2025
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