Tsukemono (Japanese Quick Pickles)
1 hr 13 min · 23 min active · makes ~860 g · Medium · Japanese
Tsukemono (Japanese Quick Pickles)
Three classic Japanese quick pickles — salt-pickled cucumber, soy-pickled daikon, and sesame cabbage — made in under two hours. Serve alongside rice, ramen, or as part of a Japanese spread.
TOTAL TIME
1 hr 13 min
ACTIVE TIME
23 min
QUANTITY
~860 g
DIFFICULTY
Medium
CUISINE
Japanese
Who’s eating
A
Cooking for A typical adult.
This may be a little light — some at the table might still be peckish.
Ingredients0/10
Tools0/8
Ingredients0/10 gathered · 4 servings
2tbsp
1tbsp
4tbsp
4tsp
ends trimmed300g
peeled200g
core removed200g
5tsp
1tsp
5g| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 2tbsp | — | — | |
| 2 | | 1tbsp | — | — | |
| 3 | | 4tbsp | — | — | |
| 4 | | 4tsp | — | — | |
| 5 | | 300g | ends trimmed | — | |
| 6 | | 200g | peeled | — | |
| 7 | | 200g | core removed | — | |
| 8 | | 5tsp | — | — | |
| 9 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 10 | | 5g | — | — |
Tools10 items
Serveware1 item
Procedure37 steps
Soy-Pickled Daikon1 hr 9 min
1 of 37
Add the soy sauce, mirin and rice vinegar to the small saucepan
Soy sauce · 2 tbspMirin · 1 tbspRice vinegar · 2 tbsp
⏱ 45s
ResultSoy sauce2 of 37
Add caster sugar into the small saucepan
Caster sugar · remaining⏱ 15s
ResultRice vinegar mixture3 of 37
Stir the rice vinegar mixture
Look for
1–2 minutes until sugar dissolves — do not boil
⏱ 2 min
ResultPickling liquid4 of 37
Cool the pickling liquid
remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes
⏱ 5 min
ResultCooled pickling liquidused in step 15Vegetable Prep6 steps · 7 min
Soy-Pickled Daikon3 steps · 1 hr 9 min
Salt-Pickled Cucumber (Shiozuke)10 steps · 1 hr 4 min
Quick Sesame Cabbage Pickle10 steps · 35 min
Serve1 steps · 2 min
Total Time1 hr 13 min
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soy-Pickled Daikon1 hr 9 min | |||
| 1 | 2 tbsp | | Add the soy sauce, mirin and rice vinegar to the small saucepan⏱ 45sResultSoy sauce |
| 1 tbsp | |||
| 2 tbsp | |||
| 2 | 2 tsp | | Add caster sugar into the small saucepan⏱ 15sResultRice vinegar mixture |
| 3 | — | | Stir the rice vinegar mixtureLook for1–2 minutes until sugar dissolves — do not boil⏱ 2 minResultPickling liquid |
| 4 | — | | Cool the pickling liquid → remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes⏱ 5 minResultCooled pickling liquidused in step 15 |
| 5 | — | — | Rinse → under cold running water⏱ 30sResultRinsed sliced daikonused in step 14 |
| Vegetable Prep6 steps · 7 min | |||
| Soy-Pickled Daikon3 steps · 1 hr 9 min | |||
| Salt-Pickled Cucumber (Shiozuke)10 steps · 1 hr 4 min | |||
| Quick Sesame Cabbage Pickle10 steps · 35 min | |||
| Serve1 steps · 2 min | |||
| Total Time | 1 hr 13 min | ||
Nutritionper serving
Estimated · pre-cooking · 100% ingredients covered
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 84kcal | |
| 3g | |
| 2g | |
| 0.3g | |
| 15g | |
| 10g | |
| 3g | |
| 3,436mg |
Ingredients0/10
Tools0/8
Japanese · Recipe
Tsukemono (Japanese Quick Pickles)
Three classic Japanese quick pickles — salt-pickled cucumber, soy-pickled daikon, and sesame cabbage — made in under two hours. Serve alongside rice, ramen, or as part of a Japanese spread.
Serves4
Total1 hr 13 min
LevelMedium
Ingredients
- Soy sauce2 tbsp
- Mirin1 tbsp
- Rice vinegar4 tbsp
- Caster sugar4 tsp
- Lebanese cucumber, ends trimmed300 g
- Daikon, peeled200 g
- White cabbage, core removed200 g
- Fine sea salt5 tsp
- Sesame oil1 tsp
- Toasted sesame seeds5 g
Tools
Rice bowl (mixing bowl)Cabbage pickle bowl (mixing bowl)SpoonTongsGlass jarRice plate (small plate)White cabbage plate (small plate)Small saucepanChef's knifeLadle
Method
Soy-Pickled Daikon
1
Add the soy sauce, mirin and rice vinegar to the saucepan
45sSmall saucepanSoy sauce · 2 tbspMirin · 1 tbspRice vinegar · 2 tbsp
2
Add caster sugar to the rice vinegar mixture
15sSmall saucepanCaster sugar · remaining
3
Stir the rice vinegar mixtureLook for1–2 minutes until sugar dissolves — do not boil
medium heat2 minSpoon
4
Cool the pickling liquid → remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes
Result · Cooled pickling liquid · used in step 15
5 minSmall saucepan
5
Rinse → under cold running water
Result · Rinsed sliced daikon · used in step 14
30s
Vegetable Prep
6
Rinse the lebanese cucumber → under cold running water
30sLebanese cucumber · 300 g
7
Slice the rinsed lebanese cucumber
Result · Sliced cucumber · used in step 18
2 minChefs knifeRinsed lebanese cucumber · step 8
8
Rinse the daikon → under cold running water
30sDaikon · 200 g
9
Slice the rinsed daikon
Result · Sliced daikon · used in step 14
2 minChefs knifeRinsed daikon · step 10
10
Rinse the white cabbage → under cold running water
30sWhite cabbage · 200 g
11
Slice the rinsed white cabbage
Result · Sliced cabbage · used in step 28
2 minChefs knifeRinsed white cabbage · step 12
Soy-Pickled Daikon
12
Add the rinsed sliced daikon and sliced daikon to the jar
15sGlass jarRinsed sliced daikon · step 7Sliced daikon · step 11
13
Pour the cooled pickling liquid and daikon and sliced daikon into the jar → over the daikon
30sLadleCooled pickling liquid · step 6Daikon and sliced daikon · step 14
14
Chill the daikon in pickling liquid at the refrigerator → refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper colour and flavour
Result · Soy-pickled daikon · used in step 37
1 hrGlass jarDaikon in pickling liquid · step 15
Salt-Pickled Cucumber (Shiozuke)
15
Rinse → under cold running water
30s
16
Add the sliced cucumber and rinsed sliced cucumber to the rice bowl
15sRice bowl (mixing bowl)Sliced cucumber · step 9Rinsed sliced cucumber · step 17
17
Add the fine sea salt to the lebanese cucumber and sliced cucumber
15sRice bowl (mixing bowl)Fine sea salt · 2.5 tsp
18
Add caster sugar to the fine sea salt and sliced cucumber mixture
15sRice bowl (mixing bowl)Caster sugar · 2 tsp
19
Massage the caster sugar and fine sea salt mixtureLook foruntil liquid begins to release
1 minMixing bowl
20
Add the rice vinegar to the caster sugar and fine sea salt mixture
15sRice bowl (mixing bowl)Rice vinegar · 2 tbsp
21
Toss the rice vinegar mixtureLook foruntil combined
30sSpoon
22
Weight the rice vinegar mixture from the mixing bowl → press plate directly onto cucumber surface
30sRice plate (small plate)Rice vinegar mixture · step 23
23
Rest the rice vinegar mixture → at room temperature, at least 1 hour
1 hrRice bowl (mixing bowl)Rice vinegar mixture · step 24
24
Drain the rice vinegar mixture → gently squeeze out excess liquid with your hands
Result · Drained rice vinegar · used in step 37
1 minMixing bowl
Quick Sesame Cabbage Pickle
25
Rinse → under cold running water
30s
26
Add the sliced cabbage and rinsed sliced cabbage to the cabbage pickle bowl
15sCabbage pickle bowl (mixing bowl)Sliced cabbage · step 13Rinsed sliced cabbage · step 27
27
Add the fine sea salt to the white cabbage and sliced cabbage
15sCabbage pickle bowl (mixing bowl)Fine sea salt · remaining
28
Massage the salted cabbageLook foruntil wilted and liquid is released — massage firmly for 2–3 minutes
2 minMixing bowl
29
Drain the salted cabbage
30sMixing bowl
30
Add the sesame oil to the drained cabbage
15sCabbage pickle bowl (mixing bowl)Sesame oil · 1 tsp
31
Add the toasted sesame seeds to the seasoned cabbage
15sCabbage pickle bowl (mixing bowl)Toasted sesame seeds · 5 g
32
Toss the seasoned cabbageLook foruntil coated
30sSpoon
33
Weight the sesame cabbage from the mixing bowl → press plate down onto the cabbage
30sWhite cabbage plate (small plate)Sesame cabbage · step 34
34
Rest the weighted white cabbage → at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
Result · Sesame cabbage pickle
30 minCabbage pickle bowl (mixing bowl)Weighted white cabbage · step 35
Serve
35
Arrange the soy-pickled daikon, drained rice vinegar and sesame cabbage pickle on the serving plate
Result · Tsukemono (Japanese Quick Pickles)
2 minTongsSoy-pickled daikon · step 16Drained rice vinegar · step 26Sesame cabbage pickle · step 36
Printed 20 September 2026