Quick japanese nukazuke vegetables

Place the nori in a blender and blitz to form a powder.

Heat a large wok over a medium heat. Blend the oat bran into a fine powder and sieve to remove any large pieces of bran. Dry-roast the oat bran for approx. 3-5 minutes until lightly toasted. Transfer to a flat baking tray and allow to cool completely.

Bring the water, miso and salt to a boil in a medium-sized pot over a high heat. Stir until the salt has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down to room temperature.

Add of the oat bran into the water, stirring constantly. Once it forms a thick paste, add in the remaining oat bran and mix well – it should have the consistency of wet sand. Stir in the ground nori and fine ginger. Transfer the mixture into a large container with a lid. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours to develop its natural fermentation before adding vegetables.

Leave the radishes and baby turnips whole or halve them if they are large. To start the fermentation process, push approx. 6-8 pieces of radishes and turnips into the oat bran mixture. Ensure they are all fully covered by the oat bran mixture and the top is smoothed over. Seal the container and store it in a dark place with a temperature of 20°C-25°C.

The first batch of vegetables are ready to consume after 24 hours. The oat bran mixture can be used for 12-14 days. Stir it once a day to distribute the bacteria evenly – add washed and dried root veggies to it every day to ferment for 24 hours or longer, if required. Radishes take 24 hours to ferment whereas larger vegetables such as turnips or beetroots may take 2-4 days. The longer you keep them submerged, the saltier they will be.

Once fermented, remove the vegetables and rinse well under cold water before slicing and serving. The vegetables will have a crunchy texture and a salty, earthy flavour. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months.