How to Make Nukazuke: Fermenting the Nukadoko (Nuka Bed) ぬか床の発酵
Nukazuke Report: Our nukadoko is coming along well. The season is cold now so fermenting took some time. I added half a can of Japan’s best beer: Yona Yona Ale and kept the pickle pot warmish for a few days. We added a lot of turnip greens, not to eat but to add some germs and tasty veggie moisture content. After about a week of loving care, our nukadoko is going strong!
I am pulling up my sleeves and mixing the fermenting nukadoko around twice a day. It is great fun and just takes a minute. It is essential to mix nukadoko everyday, or it will spoil.
Miwa scored a nice enamel tsukemono pot on a Yahoo auction which we transferred our nukadoko to.
Adding Yona Yona Ale
Notice the partially exposed kombu.
Mixing Nuka, Adding Greens for ‘Juice’ and Germs
We had a lot of turnip greens whose turnips we are using for an amazing article on ‘turnip sushi’ (coming soon), we added these not to eat, although you can, for ‘juice and germs’ but you can use most any veggie that you have. This is a good way to put old veggies to use. Most people don’t eat the first few rounds of nukazuke though, this is to get the nukadoko up and fermenting and to start adding some taste to it.
Moving Nuka to New Nukazuke Pot
Mixing Nuka
Greens Added to Nuka
Pressing Down the Nuka
I added half a can of beer another day to help the ferment along.
Adding Beer to Promote Fermentation
You say that the first couple of batches of vegetables aren’t usually eaten..so about how long does it take from making the nukadoko to being able to eat your pickles? Also, after you added the beer, did you mix it or leave it on top?
My great grandmother who lived to be 99 always had a clay pot full of nuka fermenting the nasu or kuri from her garden. To this day, the smell and texture brings me back to that happy time when I’d get up early in the morning to go tend to the hatake, or head to the ocean to go sakanatsuri with my grandfather. They also pickled their own rakyou and umeboshi, and made something similar to umeshu but with yama momo. Thanks for evoking those nice memories:-)
I enjoyed the article on making nukadoko. Do you have a recipe to make
narazuke with ao shima uri?
BTW, Kyoto is my favorite city to visit and explore.
To prepare nukadoko bamboo shoots, do I use prepared (boiled) shoots or raw, uncooked shoots. I am very much wanting to try and would appreciate your knowledge. Thanking you, Sincerely, Kerrie O’Neill