- 14 ounces ginger, preferably young
- 9 tablespoons komezu (rice vinegar)
- 2¾ teaspoons salt
- 5 to 6 tablespoons sugar, to taste
- Peel the ginger, and cut it lengthwise into paper-thin slices 1 to 1½ inches long.
- In a small saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons water, the rice vinegar, 2½ teaspoons salt, and the sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Cook the mixture, stirring, until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Turn off the heat, and transfer the liquid to a clean quart container with a tight-fitting lid.
- In a medium pot, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Add the ginger slices all at once, and blanch them for 20 seconds if you’re using young ginger, or 30 to 40 seconds if the ginger is mature. Drain the ginger in a large, flat-bottomed colander, spreading the slices so that they dry quickly. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt over the ginger slices, and toss gently. While they are still hot, transfer the ginger slices to the container of pickling liquid. When the ginger slices contact the vinegar, they will turn a pretty, faint pink color. Refrigerate the ginger for two days, covered, before using it.