Tsukemono, which are pickles fermented in rice bran (Nukadoko), is the perfect companion to plain steamed rice. This is because of the refreshingly acidic taste and aroma that is produced when fermenting ingredients in rice bran (nukadoko) because the lactic acid and yeast grow in balance.
What is Tsukemono?
Tsukemono means a pickled thing in Japanese. It is said that Tsukemono is developed in colder regions for preserving and storing vegetables. There are many different ways of classifying tsukemono, however, they are typically classified by the condiments used to pickle, such as salt (shiozuke) miso (misozuke), soy sauce (shōyuzuke), rice vinegar (amazuzuke), rice bran (nukazuke), sake lees (sake kasuzuke) etc in Japanese cooking. Further, in addition to vegetables, seafood, and fruits are also be pickled in Japan.
What is Nukazuke?
Nukazuke, one of the staple fermented pickles, has been on Japanese tables and a magnificent nutritional food since there was no means of preservation such as a refrigerator. Nukazuke is mainly vegetables pickled in rice bran bed called “Nukadoko” made from mixing rice bran (nuka), salt and water. Vegetables have microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and yeast. Rice bran mixture (nukadoko) is a suitable environment for those microorganisms to ferment, which enhance the nutritional value of the vegetables. Reference
What’s in the Rice Bran Fermenting Bed (Nukadoko)?
Nukadoko consists of rice bran, salt, water, kelp and chili flake.
- Rice bran (Nuka) is the most important ingredient. The rice bran (nuka) is the exodermis of rice that is removed from brown rice when it is milled into white rice.
- Salt – the amount of salt is calculated at 10% – 12% of the rice bran weight.
- Water – The water needs to be boiled and cooled before added in order to remove the chlorine in the water.
- Kelp – will add umami to the pickling bed.
- Chilli flake – are added for antiseptic and antioxidants. Mustard powder is often added as well.
Other Optional Ingredients
The following ingredients are optional which add some flavour to the rice bran fermenting bed. Garlic, Japanese pepper (sanshō), yuzu, ginger, dried shiitake mushrooms, etc.
Suitable Containers for Nukadoko
In terms of materials, you can use a wooden container, pottery, enamel, plastic though, in my humble opinion, the enamel is the best because 1. It’s resistant to acid and salt. 2. Unlike plastic, the chemical substances never dissolve. You will need 12-15 cups volume container for 2lb(1kg) of rice bran. I use a rectangle enamel container(link).
How to Make Nukadoko?
It takes about 10 days to 2 weeks before Nukadoko is able to pickle vegetables and other foods. Prepare a container and gather all rice-bran pickling bed ingredients listed above. Then you need to gather vegetable scraps such as outer leaves of cabbages. This process is called “Sute zuke”. Turn the nukadoko once every day in winter and twice in summer with changing the vegetable scraps every 2-3 days. Continues doing so for about 2 weeks to let the fermenting rice bran bed mature.
Nukadoko Maintenance
Once it is ready to pickle anything, you need to store it in a place where the temperature is 68-77°F(20 – 25°C). I usually keep mine in refrigerator in summer as Brisbane, Australia is quite hot and in winter it is sitting on my kitchen bench. Basically, you need to stir upside down every day with your hand in order to promote fermentation, growing both the lactic acid bacteria and yeast in good balance.
Pickling Ingredients and Time for Tsukemono.
Most vegetables, fish and meat can be pickled though, I have never tried fish and meat myself. My absolute favourite is eggplant (aubergine) and cabbage. Vegetables like eggplant (aubergine) need to be rubbed with salt to keep the nice purple colour and also to remove astringent taste. The length of time needed to pickle ingredients in Nukadoko depends on the type of vegetables. This time is also indication only to as it is influenced by temperature, climate and other factors.
Cucumbers
Cucumber is a Nukazuke classic ingredient. Cucumber has an astringent taste so you need to do a little bit of prep before it gets pickled in Nukadoko. Chop off both ends and rub with salt. This will draw the water out of the cucumber then you can pickle in Nukadoko. It will be pickled in 7-8 hours.
Carrots
Carrot is quite a hard vegetable so if it is large, cut it in half or quarter in length width with skin intact. I used Dutch carrots which are small so I just washed it and chopped off the leaves and pickled as it is. Since it is a hard vegetable, it takes longer to get pickled. It takes about 1-2 days to pickle.
Radish
Wash and chop the leaves off. Then pickle for 1 day.
Troubleshootings
A: You can leave them in. Kombu kelp can be consumed after 2-3 days also.
A: It is caused by over fermented lactic acid bacteria. Add Japanese mustard powder 1tbsp and keep the container in cooler placer.
A: Add more roasted rice bran, but you need to be careful with salt percentage as well. So add 7% of the amount of rice bran you are adding.
A: Place kitchen paper over the rice bran floor and let the paper soak the excess water. Or pickle something dried food such as shiitake mushrooms.
A: The cause of the smell like cemedine is that the bacteria which dislike oxygen have over fermented. It probably is caused by the high temperature or insufficient turning the rice bran bed. You also could add some Japanese mustard powder.
A: The mold grows on the surface of the rice bran floor is film-forming yeast, which causes an unpleasant odor like an adhesive and spoils the taste and flavour of tsukemono. There are four reasons.
1. Not turning around the rice bran bed enough. Turn the rice bran mixture more often and well.
2. The salt percentage is low so add about 1 tsp of salt.
3. Left the container in a place where the temperature is more than 77°F(25°C) … leave it in the fridge.
4. The rice bran bed is too moist. Let a kitchen paper soak the moisture.
A: Add roasted rice bran, 10% salt of the amount of the rice bran you are going to add, and 4 cups of water.
A: You can substitute with wheat bran.
Other Japanese Tsukemono Related Recipes
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Recipe Measurement Notes
Tsukemono-Nukazuke rice bran pickle
Ingredients
- 800 ml Water
- 800 g Roasted Rice Bran
- 80 g salt
- 250 g matured rice bran mixture Optional *1
- 2 inch Kelp (5cm)
- 1 dried chili
- 6-8 outer leaves cabbage for maturing the rice bran bed
Instructions
- Boil the water in order to remove chlorine and set aside to cool down.
- Place the roasted rice bran into the container that is used for pickle
- Add salt to the roasted rice bran and mix them well
- Pour the cooled down water into the container and mix them well with hands
- Press the konbu kelp, chili and garlic in and bury completely in the rice bran bed.
- Make the top surface flat with your hands, wipe the container to clean (avoiding other bacteria growth) and place a lid on.
- Refrigerate to rest overnight.
- Next morning, take the container out of the fridge and press the cabbage leaves into the rice bran pickling bed (nukadoko) and bury them completely with rice bran.
- Wipe the inside of the container with wet cloths to clean.
- Place the lid and leave it overnight at room temperature. *5
- Next day, remove the cabbage leaves out of the rice bran bed, and stir the rice bran bed well.
- Add another cabbage leaf, cover with the rice bran, flatten the top surface and wipe off to clean the container with wet cloths.
- Repeat the above process 3-4 times in order to mature the rice bran pickling bed. *2
- After you repeat the above process 3-4 times, the rice bran bed is ready to pickle.
- Wash the vegetables that you want to pickle and prep the vegetables. *3
Michael says
Thank you very much for this recipe. I made Nukadoko for the first time and can’t wait to use it.
It looks nice so far but it feels a bit too moist. The adhesive odor is pretty intense too. How I understood it is the result of over fermentation. I have to admit that I forgot to turn it a couple of times. I put it in the fridge to stop the fermentation process for now and added a kitchen paper to reduce the moist. My question is, can I restore the Nukadoko that way and is it still save to use or do I have to start over?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Michael you can still save it. Tuning them over with your hand and you could also add more bran too.
Angie says
Thank you for posting this! My dear departed Obachan always had a big ceramic jar of nuka that she kept in her kitchen and would put in veggies from her garden. I always remember watching her stir it up, pluck a seemingly random cucumber out of the pot, rinse it off, and then tell me to eat it. It was magic to me that she always knew which ones were ready since she put stuff in at different times. No one ever thought to ask how she started it or maintained above stirring. I greatly appreciate the thoroughness you’ve put into this article and can’t wait for my bed to be ready so I can reclaim a piece missing from my younger years. Thank you!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Angie for sharing your lovely memory and story with your beloved Obaachan 😀
Flo says
It’s almost been 2 weeks, but my Nukadoko has a certain smell to it. Not sure if it’s acidic or ammonia smell? Should I throw it out?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Sorry Flo, hard to tell. Does it growing nay mold? and have you been turning it around everyday?
Top J. Quark says
I added some onion powder as well. Is this ok, or will it spoil the flavour?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Top J. Quark, Thank you for making and experimenting with onion powder. I have never used onion powder but it will add some flavour.
Night Owl says
Thank you for your directions. I’ve been trying to figure out how to make nukazuke ever since I had them as an exchange student in Japan. After taking care of my current batch for about 2 months now, it has become dense and clumpy, like clay. Is this supposed to happen? I think it may have become too moist, but the water does not pool so I cannot soak it up or remove it. Is there a fix for this, or is it normal? It smells ok, and the vegetables I’ve buried recently have just started to develop that tangy flavor I enjoy but it is getting harder to properly bury any vegetables because the nukadoko is so clay-like. Do you have any advice? It’s too bad I didn’t pay closer attention when I was living in Japan!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Night Owl, I think you need to add more Nuka. When you add nuka, also add salt about 7 % of the nuka weight that you are adding. Hope it helps.
Joy says
hello, I’d like to ask a question. Your recipe calls for roasted rice bran. I think the one I got at a local Japanese market in the US is not roasted, but raw. Do you think I need to roast it before starting? Thank you!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Joy, No you don’t need to roast it. you can use it straight away. I used roasted one because it was the only available nuka where I live.
Meda says
Hello! Once I make ba Nuka bed, how long can I use it for? How many times can I make pickles in it before having to start a new batch? Thank you!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Meda, Long time. I can’t say exactly how long because it is depends on how it is looked after. If you look after well, it does last long time.
Laura Wilson says
Do you need to add to the mixture to maintain it?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Laura, yes you need to add more nuka sometime. I will update the post soon and include that information. Thank you.
Peter says
Once you are done and veggies are removed, rinsed, and cut, what is the best way to store any leftovers? Or do you have to eat them immediately? I notice the eggplant (nasu) flavor seems to change and the cucumber loses a bit of its crisp if just refrigerated as is.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Peter, It will better if you eat all at once, but if there are any leftovers, it will keep for a few days in the fridge. Still eat them as soon as possible, as you mentioned because it will become saltier.
noi says
very clear and easy to understand 😉
i’ll definitely try to make some soon!
For the rice bran, is it ok to use the one found in the garden section or the health food section? The one for pet food and garden is probably raw but the edible one for human is probably baked or cooked somehow to make it clean enough to eat.
I’m totally new at this ^ ^ Thanks!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Noi, yes the one I purchase from a local Japanese grocery store is ROASTED. I did not know you can buy them from garden section 😀
Carly says
Hi
I was wanting to know do you keep it in the fridge when you are using it?
We’ve been getting 30-40 oC days lately would that affect the pickle bed?
Thanks
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Carly. Yes. I am living in really hot weather at the moment and I keep my nuka bed in the fridge.
Gwen says
Hi! I just started my first nukadoko several weeks ago and it is gradually getting more complex instead of just salty tasting. Do you traditionally only serve them plain? Or incorporate them in other dishes or dressings? Thank you!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Gwen, I usually just serve them plain as a small side dish.
Elaine says
Hi! How are the pickles usually served – rinsed and eaten as is, or tossed in some dressing? Do I top up the bed with untoasted or toasted bran? Finally, do I need to keep adding fresh vegetables every day to maintain the bed? Thanks 🙂
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Elaine, it depends what types of pickles they are. You need to rinse off rice bran and slice to serve and use toasted bran. You dont need to adding fresh veggies every day though, you need to turn the bed everyday 😀
craige says
Hi! I started a nukadoko 11 days ago and the pickles are still not tasting good to me. I wanted to make one because I adore the pickles that can be found at good Japanese restaurants. Of course I don’t know for sure that those are nukazuke, but I hope so! Anyway, I have not been putting in very large pieces because that seems like a waste. But for when the bed is working properly, do you recommend fermenting whole carrots/eggplants/radishes, etc. instead of slicing them first? Thanks!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Craige, It depends on vegetables. Less astringent vegetables such radish and carrot, you can ferment whole, but vegetables have strong astringent taste such as eggplant, better to slice them in half and rub with salt then ferment 😀 hope this help.
Maxi says
I have a small store with a friend, with whom I cook macrobiotic dishes… we love tsukemono, tofu, seitán and so… and found the nuka pickle in a macrobiotic book. Afterwords I got here. Thanks for sharing.
Regards from Argentina.
Maxi
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Maxi for visiting Chopstick Chronicles 😀
Barbara Warren says
Hello Shihoko,
Your blog is informing and the photos are beautiful!
1. If you travel and it is not possible to have your rice bran ( nukadoko ) stirred daily, will it spoil? Is there a means to “hold it” and if so, how long is that possible?
2. What is the source for the small bamboo drying trays your vegetables are displayed on. So much nicer than plastic.
Thank you!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Barbara, Thank you.
1 Leave them in fridge. Refrigeration will slow down fermentation process.
2.I bought them in a shop in Tokyo, Kappabashi street.
Alex Minska says
Can I reuse the bran mixture? How long can the mixture stay in the fridge? I love Japanese pickles. I need to try that. Can you pickle daikon this way?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Alex, yes it will last long time as long as you look after turning the rice bran bed every day, once a day in winter and a few times in summer. And yes you can pickle daikon too.
Marcia says
Hello, thank you for this recipe. How long does the rice bran bed last? How many times can we use it?
Thank you!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Marcia, I made rice bran bed in October when I post the blog and I am still using it. But you need to keep tuning everyday and look after then will last quite long time.
Bengt Brown says
Correctly maintained it last for years.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you for the comment Bengt, yes it does.
Lashlo says
Should i remove garlic and seaweed at some point?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Lashlo, No keep them in 😀 They are in for adding flavour.
Sue R says
This is really interesting! I’ve not heard of pickling this way so I’m keen to try it. I’ve just made sauerkraut and it’s so much nicer than the bought jars. Very easy too.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
I agree with Sue. Homemade is always the best 😀
Pato says
Ohayou,
I made komenuka about a month ago. Really nice.
However after some time the nuka bed turns watery. Should I add more kome nuka? If I add just nuka the taste will likely change right?
Oh one more thing……
カブも美味しいよー😉
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Pato, Yes you need to add more nuka with 7% of the weight of the nuka you adding:D
eva says
I love pickles. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Eva
elizabeth pangilinan says
wher can i buy the nukamiso or rice bran?please..
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Elizabeth you can purchase from Amazon
or Japanese/Asian shop or Health shop may have as well.