(Hakusai-zuke)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Draining time: 30 minutes
Soaking time: 24 hours
Chilling time: 24 hours
Yield: 8 cups
Murakamijyuhonten's recipe for hakusaizuke (Chinese cabbage tsukemono) has been scaled down for home preparation.
To make it you will need: a small tub (about 12 inches in diameter), a wooden or plastic cover that can be placed within the diameter of the tub and a 2pound weight.
Other vegetables-such as radish, carrots and, cucumbers-can be used in place of the Chinese cabbage.
Serve the cabbage with soy sauce.
Shop for the seaweeds, kombu or hijiki, in Asian markets and specialty stores.
2 1/4 pounds Chinese cabbage
8 cups water
1/3 cup coarse salt
2 tablespoons (1/3 ounce) dried kombu or hijiki (seaweed), broken into small pieces, see note
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, optional
1. Cut cabbage into 1-inch pieces; rinse with water. Put cabbage into a colander; place in large bowl. Add water to cover; soak 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, dissolve salt in the 8 cups of water in a small tub. Drain cabbage; place in the tub. Place cover on top; weigh down with a 2pound weight, such as canned goods. Keep at room temperature for I day.
3. Remove cabbage from tub. Drain cabbage in colander 30 minutes. Rinse tub. Return cabbage to tub. Add seaweed, red pepper flakes, lemon zest; mix well. Cover; weigh down with the weight. Place in refrigerator for 1 day. Rinse and squeeze before serving.
Nutrition information per 2 tablespoons:
2.5 calories , 9% of calories from fat , 0.03g fat , 0g saturated fat , 0mg cholesterol, 0.5g carbohydrates , 0.2g protein , 298mg sodium , 0.3g fiber