Description
A quick and flavorful recipe for Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms and Carrots, perfect as a tangy side dish or topping for rice bowls, noodles, and sandwiches. The mushrooms and carrots are lightly pickled in a savory-sweet brine infused with garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for a balanced umami bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms (stems removed, caps sliced)
- 1 cup julienned carrots
Pickling Brine
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove (smashed)
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Clean the shiitake mushroom caps by removing the stems and slicing them thinly. Julienne the carrots into matchstick-sized pieces. Place both prepared mushrooms and carrots into a heatproof jar or container.
- Make the pickling brine: In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, water, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, smashed garlic clove, grated fresh ginger, red pepper flakes if using, and salt. Stir mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the liquid comes to a boil.
- Pour the brine over vegetables: Remove the saucepan from heat immediately after boiling and pour the hot pickling liquid carefully over the mushrooms and carrots in the jar. Use a spoon or spatula to press down the vegetables so they are fully submerged in the brine.
- Cool and refrigerate: Allow the jar to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, to allow flavors to fully develop.
Notes
- These pickled vegetables are delicious as a topping for rice bowls, noodles, sandwiches, or as a side to grilled meats.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- For a deeper umami flavor, add a splash of mirin or a few drops of fish sauce to the brine.
