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Asakaze japanese cucumber Premium Kohaku-zuke Narazuke, 120g
Ref : NISNARAZ2
€9.60
Tax Included
€80.00 / Kg
NARAZUKE (奈良漬) are traditional Japanese fermented vegetables with a history dating back 1,300 years. They were originally developed in Nara. Narazuke origin dates back to around 710. It is said that narazuke was a refined dish for the aristocrats of the time.
During the Edo period (1603-1867), a Chinese medicine practitioner based in Nara began selling white melons pickled in sake lees under the name “Narazuke.” Since then, narazuke has spread throughout Japan thanks to promotion by travelers and has become popular among ordinary people while being dedicated to the Tokugawa shogunate.
Preserving products in salt, mirin, sake lees, and distilled rice alcohol naturally increases their shelf life while giving them rich, mellow, and unique flavors. It takes about one and a half to two years to make a high-quality vegetable-based narazuke. During this process, our craftsmen marinate the vegetables several times by hand in sake lees.
Each craftsman careful and meticulous work results in a delicious taste and impeccable quality. Asakaze Premium Narazuke Kohazuke Japanese Cucumber is aged for nearly two years in barrels to develop a rich, deep aroma and flavor. It undergoes four stages of slow fermentation.
It pairs well with other aged products such as wine and whiskey. It is made from Asakaze cucumbers grown in Aizumi, Tokushima Prefecture, which have firm, crisp flesh. It is important to note that all narazuke from our artisan Salon Narazuke Abe, with the authentic taste of real Japanese narazuke, are made from exclusively Japanese ingredients selected from among the best:
· White melon, cucumber: Tokushima Prefecture.
· Moriguchi daikon radish: Aichi Prefecture.
· Watermelon: Wakayama Prefecture.
· Sake lees: Hiroshima Prefecture.
Narazuke has a long shelf life, making it an ideal gift.
How to eat it? Wash under cold running water, pat dry with paper towels, and slice. Ideal accompaniments: Camembert, Brie, rice, tofu Sliced Narazuke with: ham, cream cheese (Philadelphia), salt-grilled pork belly, foie gras, green olives, sardines in oil, tofu Chopped Narazuke in sushi, beef or fish tartares, tartar sauce, potato salads, vanilla ice cream
Narazuke absorb the flavor and aroma of sake, giving them a rich, slightly sweet and spicy profile. This Kohaku-zuke narazuke has been aged for two years, giving it an intense, almost alcoholic taste that is not unpleasant. They have a sweet and salty, almost honey-like taste and are usually sliced thinly and served with plain rice, grilled fish, or as part of a traditional kaiseki meal.
Their strong sake aroma and soft texture may surprise the uninitiated, but for many, they are a beloved old-school treat and a nostalgic taste of traditional Japanese cuisine. Narazuke can be served as a condiment with rice, tea, meat, or vegetables.
Narazuke is a very versatile culinary addition: it can be used in salads and appetizers, snacks and ice cream, and even as an accompaniment to cream cheese. Narazuke goes well with sake, is served with a bowl of rice, and used as an ingredient in sushi.
NISNARAZ2
Data sheet
Origin
Fukuoka, Japan
Packaging
sealed bag
Ingredients
60% Asakaze japanese cucumbe from Tokushima, marinade condiment (sake lees, sugar, salt, mirin, distilled rice alcohol shochu
Our artisan carefully selects high-quality ingredients from contract farmers in the best production areas and prepares each vegetable by hand every year.
Process: End of June: salting
Production process begins with washing harvested vegetables, such as white melons. They are then prepared appropriately, marinated in salt for a few days (first fermentation), salted again (second fermentation), and then stored for six to eight months. Today, vegetables grown in Tokushima Prefecture are marinated in salt after being harvested locally and transported to the artisan's workshop.
Early February: First fermentation
Salted vegetables are marinated in sake lees from the third fermentation (used during the second fermentation of the previous year) and left to rest for three to four months.
End of April: second fermentation
Once sake lees have been removed from the vegetables, they are marinated in a second sake lees (used during the third fermentation of the previous year) and left to rest for five to six months.
Mid-October: third fermentation
As in the previous step, sake lees are wiped off vegetables, which are then fermented again in the first sake lees (used during the last fermentation of the previous year) and left to rest for three to four months. This three-step fermentation process makes the vegetables less salty and gives them a mild flavor.
Mid-March: final fermentation
Once sake lees have been removed from the vegetables, they are washed one by one in salt water and then sorted according to size.
They are then fermented in seasoned sake lees, a mixture of matured ginjo sake lees, made exclusively from highest quality sake pressing, mirin (sweet sake with no additives), sugar, and shochu (Japanese distilled alcohol), and left to rest for about four months.
NARAZUKE (奈良漬) are traditional Japanese fermented vegetables with a history dating back 1,300 years. They were originally developed in Nara. Narazuke origin dates back to around 710. It is said that narazuke was a refined dish for the aristocrats of the time.
During the Edo period (1603-1867), a Chinese medicine practitioner based in Nara began selling white melons pickled in sake lees under the name “Narazuke.” Since then, narazuke has spread throughout Japan thanks to promotion by travelers and has become popular among ordinary people while being dedicated to the Tokugawa shogunate.
Preserving products in salt, mirin, sake lees, and distilled rice alcohol naturally increases their shelf life while giving them rich, mellow, and unique flavors. It takes about one and a half to two years to make a high-quality vegetable-based narazuke. During this process, our craftsmen marinate the vegetables several times by hand in sake lees.
Each craftsman careful and meticulous work results in a delicious taste and impeccable quality. Asakaze Premium Narazuke Kohazuke Japanese Cucumber is aged for nearly two years in barrels to develop a rich, deep aroma and flavor. It undergoes four stages of slow fermentation.
It pairs well with other aged products such as wine and whiskey. It is made from Asakaze cucumbers grown in Aizumi, Tokushima Prefecture, which have firm, crisp flesh. It is important to note that all narazuke from our artisan Salon Narazuke Abe, with the authentic taste of real Japanese narazuke, are made from exclusively Japanese ingredients selected from among the best:
· White melon, cucumber: Tokushima Prefecture.
· Moriguchi daikon radish: Aichi Prefecture.
· Watermelon: Wakayama Prefecture.
· Sake lees: Hiroshima Prefecture.
Narazuke has a long shelf life, making it an ideal gift.
How to eat it? Wash under cold running water, pat dry with paper towels, and slice. Ideal accompaniments: Camembert, Brie, rice, tofu Sliced Narazuke with: ham, cream cheese (Philadelphia), salt-grilled pork belly, foie gras, green olives, sardines in oil, tofu Chopped Narazuke in sushi, beef or fish tartares, tartar sauce, potato salads, vanilla ice cream
