Tsukemono
Tsukemono, oshinko or konomono are Japanese preserved vegetables. They are served with rice as an okazu, with drinks as an otsumami, as an accompaniment to or garnish for meals, and as a course in the kaiseki portion of a Japanese tea ceremony.
Alternative names
Tsukemono are also referred to as konomono, oshinko, or okōkō, all carrying the meaning of "fragrant dish" in Japanese. The ko or kō portion in these names means "fragrant", and the term was used as a nyōbō kotoba or "woman's word" for miso in reference to the smell. Over time, this term was also applied to pickles, again for the smell. Oshinko more specifically referred to vegetables that had been only lightly pickled and that had not yet changed color very much. The term is now also used more broadly to refer to pickles in general.Making tsukemono
To make tsukemono, one needs a container, salt, and something to apply downward pressure on top of the pickles.A tsukemonoki is a Japanese pickle press. The pressure is generated by heavy stones called tsukemono ishi with a weight of one to two kilograms, sometimes more. This type of pickle press is still in use, and can be made from a variety of materials, such as plastic, wood, glass, or ceramic. Before tsukemono ishi came into use, the pressure was applied by driving a wedge between the handle of the container and its lid.
The weights are either stone or metal, with a handle on top and often covered with a layer of food-neutral plastic. Another modern type of pickle press is usually made from plastic, and the necessary pressure is generated by turning a screw and clamping down onto the pickles.
Asazuke is a pickling method characterized by its short preparation time.
| Type | Kanji | Pickling ingredient |
| Shiozuke | 塩漬け | salt |
| Suzuke | 酢漬け | vinegar |
| Amasuzuke | 甘酢漬け | sugar and vinegar |
| Misozuke | 味噌漬け | miso |
| Shoyuzuke | 醤油漬け | soy sauce |
| Kasuzuke | 粕漬け | sake kasu |
| Kojizuke | 麹漬け | mold-cultured rice |
| Nukazuke | 糠漬け | rice bran |
| Karashizuke | からし漬け | hot mustard |
| Satozuke | 砂糖漬け | sugar |
Tsukemono types
, umeboshi, turnip, cucumber, and Chinese cabbage are among the favorites to be eaten with rice as an accompaniment to a meal.Beni shōga is used as a garnish on okonomiyaki, takoyaki and yakisoba.
Gari is used between dishes of sushi to cleanse the palate.
Rakkyōzuke is often served with Japanese curry. Rakkyōzuke is slightly acid and sweet, with a mild and "fresh" taste, due to being preserved in vinegar and mirin, which also remove its bitterness. It is used to balance the stronger flavors of some other components in a meal.
Fukujinzuke is a mixture of daikon, eggplant, lotus root and cucumber which is pickled and flavored with soy sauce.
Bettarazuke is a kind of pickled daikon popular in Tokyo.
Matsumaezuke is a pickled dish made from Dried [shredded squid|surume], konbu, kazunoko, carrot and ginger with a mixture of sake, soy sauce and mirin.
Nozawana is a pickled leaf vegetable typical of Nagano Prefecture.