Japanese Pickled Cucumber Recipe using Shio Koji

As you may know, Shio Koji (塩麹) is a lumpy seasoning paste made by fermenting and aging a mixture of malted rice and salt.

It became a topic of conversation several years ago in Japan, and now, the white seasoning paste is a staple among Japanese home cooks.

Shio Koji is a multi-purpose seasoning used in various ways, and just with the salted rice malt, you can easily make tasty pickles.

Pickled Cucumber Recipe using Shio Koji

When it comes to the Japanese pickle made with Shio Koji, the most commonly prepared vegetable is cucumber. 

Fortunately, now, I have the pickled cucumber in the fridge of my house. So, this time, let me share how we make it with Shio Koji. 

Instructions 

For this recipe, all you need are two fresh cucumbers and two tablespoons of Shio Koji. 

Now, here are the instructions with photos.

1		First, cut the cucumbers into moderate sizes. Then, put the pieces and Shio Koji paste together in a zip lock bag.
2		Rub the paste over the entire surface of the cucumbers. Then, force air out of the bag and close it.
3		Place the zip lock bag into the refrigerator and let it rest for one day.
4		After that, rinse the Shio Koji from the cucumbers.
5		Cut the cucumbers into about 1 cm wide slices.
6		And last, arrange the pickled cucumbers on a plate. Now, it’s ready to eat. Enjoy!

The cucumbers get the right saltiness and plenty of umami from the Shio Koji.

This recipe is quite simple, but the resulting pickles taste pretty good.