PICKLED GINGER WITH HIBISCUS FLOWER

In the middle of a pandemic, my daughter-in-law hankered for sushi. Yes, we are those weirdos who are too afraid to eat prepared fresh food right now . . . especially in Alabama, the Land of Covid Deniers. Nothing could assuage her craving (and let’s be honest, nor mine), and so she is forging forward with a plan: homemade sushi! Well, sort of: smoked salmon, cooked crab, and lots of yummy extras. Now, I don’t know if y’all have leaned on curbside pickup the way we have done, but if so, you know that they are often out of items. You can have a whole meal planned out only to find that one main ingredient did NOT end up in your bag. Ugh.

So, what’s a kitchen witch to do when her favorite pickled ginger is not in stock? You know the answer. Here’s my version of pickled ginger, made special with a bit of dried hibiscus flowers from the garden. Real pickled ginger gets its pink tinge from the nodes of fresh, young ginger. While I grow ginger, I do not have an entire field to harvest in the dead of winter. Multiple recipes lean on thinly sliced radishes or beets for a substitute hue (or worse, artificial dye), but I was interested in a more lemony tang. Enter the wonderful hibiscus flower! Dried or fresh, the flavor is reminiscent of raspberries and lemons and is loaded in antioxidants. Now, we have a powerhouse of health: ginger, vinegar, and hibiscus!

Begin with organic fresh ginger, if at all possible. Peel carefully, so as not to loose too much of the flesh.
Now, I used a hand peeler with a little help from a tiny spoon for this process, then back to the peeler for long, thin shavings for pickling.* Then, the fun starts:

1 cup shaved/sliced ginger (packed if possible)
One dried/fresh hibiscus flower (petals only)
One cup water
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar (lower the amount if less sweetness is desired)
Sea salt (finely ground)*

Lightly salt your shaved ginger and leave in bowl for a minimum of thirty minutes. Doing so will pull down the heat of mature ginger, as well as soften its rough texture. Sterilize a pint Mason jar (or any canning jar) and lid. Bring to boil: water, vinegar, and sugar. Pack that yummy ginger and flower into the jar and pour boiled mixture over. If refrigerating (see canning advice below), just assure that the liquid covers all ginger.* Let cool and refrigerate for at least three days. Voila! Your pickled ginger days have returned.

My pickled ginger on Day One—in just a few more days, the ginger will begin to absorb the pink hue.

*You can also use a planer/slicer, but I am personal terrified of them. In a pinch, a sharp knife and very thin slices will do.

*Do NOT use iodized salt, as it contains additives that can cloud your brine and ruin the texture of your pickles. I use sea salt, but pickling salt is also quite useful.

*For water bath canning, leave 1/4 inch headspace and carefully wipe the rim clean. Process for fifteen minutes. Let cool before storage and remember: REMOVE THE RING from the lid. This assures that if anything goes wrong, the lid will pop/unseal. It’s insurance! Properly canned and stored products will remain sealed.