Hakusai no Asazuke(Vegetable Mix Pickles)

Servings: 4

Ingredients
Vegetables (300g)
100 g Chinese Cabbage Leaves
1 Cucumber
80 g Daikon Radish
20 g Carrots

Seasonings
6 g Coarse Salt 2% of the total weight of the vegetables
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tbsp Sugar
1 sheet Dashi Kombu Seaweed 2.5x8cm
5 g Ginger Root shredded
Dried Red Chili Pepper sliced into rings, to taste

Toppings
Katsuobushi (Bonito Flakes)
Toasted White Sesame Seeds
Soy Sauce to taste

Instructions
Separate the Chinese cabbage leaves into the thick white part and leafy part.
Cut the thick part into 2 to 3 cm pieces. Cut the leafy part into relatively large pieces. Place the Chinese cabbage into a plastic produce bag.
Trim off both ends of the cucumber. Slice the cucumber into 2 mm rounds.
Cut the daikon radish lengthwise into 6 wedges. Peel the skin. Slice the wedge into 2 mm slices.
Peel the skin of the carrot. Slice the carrot into 1 mm quarter moons.
Place all the vegetables into the bag. The weight of the vegetables should be 300 g in total.
Add the coarse salt and close the plastic bag leaving the bag filled with air.
Shake the bag to distribute the salt.
Now, remove the air inside and close the mouth of the bag with a kitchen clip.
Place a kitchen weight twice as heavy as the vegetables on top and let it sit for 30 to 40 minutes.
Let’s prepare the shredded kombu seaweed to add an umami flavour to the asazuke pickles.
Shred the ginger root and cut the red chilli pepper into rings to taste.
Now, the water in the vegetables has been extracted so squeeze it out.
Removing the excess water will keep the vegetables from becoming soggy and help create a pleasant texture. There is no need to remove all of the water so thoroughly.
Add the vinegar, sugar, shredded kombu, and shredded ginger root.
Add the red chilli pepper to taste.
Shake the bag again to coat it evenly.
Remove the air and close the bag. Let the vegetables absorb the umami flavour from the kombu seaweed. You can enjoy the asazuke after about 30 minutes.
Now, the asazuke is ready. Transfer the pickled vegetables into a food storage container.
Arrange the asazuke into a bowl. Top with bonito flakes also known as katsuobushi.
Finally, gently crush the toasted white sesame seeds with your fingers and sprinkle them on top.