It consists of shavings or thin slices of fresh ginger pickled in Amazu sauce. Amazu sauce is a simple Japanese sweet and sour sauce made from rice vinegar sweetened with sugar (see separate entry.)
The pickled ginger will be a beige or pink colour.
There are three types of Japanese Pickled Ginger: Gari, Amazu-Shouga, and Beni-Shouga.
Cooking Tips
To make, peel 4 to 5 inches of ginger, and cut into very thin slices. Sprinkle the slices with salt; let stand for about an hour.
Meanwhile, make up a batch of Amazu (see entry on Amazu.)
Then blanch the slices of ginger briefly in boiling water, then drain. Put in a jar, completely covered with the Amazu sauce, put lid on jar, and store in fridge, keeping covered with the Amazu at all times. Use up within 6 months.
Language Notes
“Shouga” means “ginger” in Japanese.