Eddie Does Japan

One thing that is notably absent from Japanese grocery stores are fresh dill pickles. Lucky for me, making pickles is a piece of cake. The great thing about this recipe is it is highly adaptable (no fresh dill? Just dump in a tablespoon of the dry stuff- No mustard seed? I used powdered Chinese mustard). For more inspiration about making pickles check out this post from David Lebovitz.

What you need:
1 Bunch Cucumbers
2 Large Glass Jars
1 Handful Fresh Dill (roughly chopped)
1 Tablespoon Salt
6 Peppercorns
1 Clove Garlic (smashed)
1 Cup Vinegar
2 Cups Water

Step 1:

Cut the cucumbers in to pickle-like shapes that will easily fit in your jars. In a bowl, toss the cucumbers with the fresh dill and a tablespoon of salt. Let this mixture rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2:

Into each jar, add the cucumbers, half a smashed clove of garlic, half a teaspoon of mustard seed, three peppercorns and a sprig of fresh dill (for flair). Fill the jars up with a mixture of two parts water to one part vinegar. Refrigerate the jars overnight. The pickles should last about two weeks if you keep them in your refrigerator.

*This recipe was adapted from one published in a children’s cookbook that I received when I was about 8 years old. Unfortunately the photocopy of the recipe that I have now does not include the title of the book or the author.