Miso pickles

• 1-1/3 lb. (600 g) gherkin cucumbers
• 14 oz. (400 g) white miso (soy bean paste)
• 5 T. mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/2 T. soy sauce

Directions

Place the white miso in a clean, dry bowl. Mix 5 T. mirin (sweet rice wine),2 T. sugar,1/2 T. soy sauce (illus.1) into the miso until well blended.

Rub 1 teaspoon salt on the cucumbers and allow to set for 2 minutes. Rinse clean. Move to a cool place to air dry. Add to the miso paste and mix well (illus.2). Transfer the cucumbers with miso to a container that can be tightly sealed (illus.3). Allow to cure 2 to 3 days. Rinse and cut into slices before serving.

Tender eggplant, head cabbage, carrots, Chinese white radish, etc., can be pickled with this same method.

Do not allow to cure more than 3 days, or the liauid (and flavor) contained in the vegetables will escape into the miso paste.