Battle of the Brines

Salt or pepper?
Sweet or savory?
Glazed or frosted?

Welcome to the Battle of the Brines, where we debate the age-old question of ume or shoyu.

I used tamari to make them gluten-free.

Before we begin, I should note that I forgot to add water and did 100% tamari, so these pickles are going to be black as a bat turd in a cave at midnight.

They probably taste saltier.

Chop two daikon radishes into paper-thin slices.  

As you can see, ours are a little thicker.  

This is what happens when you pickle at midnight.  

If you have a benriner mandolin, use that.

Split the daikon into two batches.  

Batch A will become ume pickles.  

Here my lovely hand model has sprinkled 

1 teaspoon of sea salt into Batch A.

This is the batch that will become the ume pickles.

She is kneading the daikon until they begin to weep water.  This takes about 3-4 minutes.

This is the part I forgot to photo-document.  So this is what it looked like:

The white things are daikon slivers, which are square in Photoshop-adelphia.

We are adding ume vinegar until we're about 1/2" below the top of the pickles.  

The pickles will release more water overnight.  

Squish those pickles down as low as they can get, and cover them with a cabbage leaf.

Comme ça.  Daikon, ume vinegar, and cabbage leaf.  

This cabbage leaf will mold.  That's ok.  

That's what it's there for.  Don't eat it.  

Cover your jar in cheesecloth and place in a warm, dry spot for the next 3-5 days!

Now place Batch B in the recently vacated bowl.

Add 2 tsp. shoyu or tamari and knead for 3-4 minutes.

Add daikon, tamari/shoyu, and water to the jar until pickles are almost covered.

2 parts tamari/shoyu to 1 part water.

Cover with a cabbage leaf and cheesecloth, and wait 4-5 days!

Check back in on Friday and we'll let you know which pickle was more delicious!