| This is the pale pink, thinly sliced ginger used to cleanse your palate between pieces of sushi.
Of course, you can buy pickled ginger but it's nice to know how to make it too.
Try to get the youngest, freshest ginger that you can or else it might be too fibrous.
What You Will Need
8 oz. ginger root
3 fl oz su (rice vinegar)
2 Tablespoons mirin
2 Tablespoons saké
5 teaspoons sugar
some red shiso or beefsteak leaves
What To Do Now
Scrub the ginger root under running water (just like you would a potato). Blanch in boiling water for one minute and drain. Now slice the ginger as thinly as you can.
Combine the vinegar, mirin, saké, and sugar in a small pan. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Stir, until the sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture cool.
Place the ginger into a clean jar (of course it's best to sterilize it with boiling water first). Pour the cooled vinegar over the ginger. Add the red shiso leaves. Cover and let sit for 3 to 4 days before using. You can keep the pickled ginger, refrigerated, for up to one month.
{If you can't find beefsteak leaves, try putting a peeled beet in the jar. Even without either, the gari will naturally turn at least a soft pink after a time because of the salt.) | 
