Flower vegetables
Myoga Ginger NukazukeCut a Cross in the Base and Pickle 2 Days
Myoga is the flower bud of a ginger plant, and in Japan it’s an essential garnish for chilled tofu and cold noodles. Pickled in nuka, its distinctive aroma and flavor turn mellow, and you can eat it as a dish on its own, not just as a garnish. Outside Japan, it’s sometimes sold at Japanese grocery stores in summer.
Myoga is made of many tight layers, so the bran has trouble getting inside. Cut a cross into the base before pickling, and pickle for 2 days or more.
| Prep | Cut a cross into the base |
|---|---|
| Pickling time | 48 hours or more |
| After pickling | Keep in the fridge and eat by the next day |
Pickling times are for a nuka bed kept in the fridge. At room temperature it pickles faster, and faster still in summer. The saltiness of your bed also makes a difference.
How to make myoga nukazuke
- Wash: Wash the dirt off the base and pat dry. Trim a thin slice off the tough base.
- Cut a cross: Cut a cross into the base with a knife.
- Pickle: Bury them in the nuka bed and cover with bran.
- Take them out: Rinse out the bran between the layers well, halve lengthwise and serve.
From bed to plate
How to eat it
- As is: Halved or thinly sliced, with drinks.
- Chopped as a garnish: Put on chilled tofu or cold somen noodles. It’s salted just right.
- Mixed into rice: Chop and mix into rice with sesame seeds.
Care for your bed is covered in Caring for a Nuka Bed. To dry it instead, see dried myoga.
