Korean Soy Pickled Asparagus
This pickle applies the Korean jangajji tradition - soy-brine preservation - to asparagus, a vegetable that Koreans adopted relatively recently but now use freely across banchan. The asparagus is blanched for just 20 seconds to set its color and soften the fibrous outer layer, then immediately shocked in ice water to lock in a vivid green and a firm, snapping texture. Packed upright in a sterilized jar, the spears are covered with a boiling brine of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and water that partially cooks the surface while the core stays crisp. Within 24 hours the brine penetrates enough for the pickle to be edible, but the flavor peaks at three days when the sweet-sour-salty balance has fully developed. Unlike most jangajji that use root vegetables or dense greens, asparagus brings a distinctive grassy, almost herbal note to the preserved format. Keeps refrigerated for two weeks.
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Instructions
- 1
Trim woody ends of asparagus and cut into 6 cm lengths.
- 2
Blanch for 20 seconds, then shock in ice water to keep the color.
- 3
Place asparagus, sliced garlic, and thin lemon slices into a sterilized jar.
- 4
Bring soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, and peppercorns to a brief boil.
- 5
Cool brine for 3 minutes, pour into the jar, then cool fully and seal.
- 6
Refrigerate and start eating after 24 hours; best within 5 days.
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