Pickled Ginger
from Setsuko Yoshizuka (japanesefood.about.com)

Pickled ginger, called gari in Japan, is served with sushi. Try to eat pieces of pickled ginger between different kinds of sushi. It helps to cleanse your palette and enhance the flavors.

2 lb fresh ginger root
3 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 tsps salt

Wash fresh ginger root and rub off skin. Slice the ginger thinly and salt them. Leave salted ginger slices in a bowl for one hour. Dry the ginger slices with paper towels and put them in a sterilized container/jar.

Mix rice vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture of vinegar and sugar over the ginger slices. Cool them. The ginger change its color to light pink. Cover the jar and store it in the refrigerator.

*Makes about 2 cups

Pickled Ginger from Ming.com

Called gari or sushoga in Japanese, pickled ginger is an obligatory accompaniment to sushi. The pickled ginger can be stored, refrigerated, for about one month.

2 cups rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 small red beet, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon white peppercorns
2 Thai bird chiles
1 to 1 1/2 ounces ginger, cut into 1/8-inch slices

In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, beet, bay leaves, peppercorns, and chiles. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the ginger. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool, about 1/2 hour. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate overnight.

Ming’s Tip: Though pickled ginger will turn a nice pink color over time, he often uses beets or red shiso leaves to tint the pickle delicately. Though hard to come by, the red shisos provide superior color and an herby flavor