Pickled ginger (beni shoga, gari)

紅しょうが beni shōga / ガリ gari

Flavor and role: Ginger pickled in vinegar. Red beni shoga is salty and sour, for stir-fries and rice bowls; thin pink gari is sweet and served with sushi.
Typical dishes and uses: Yakisoba, gyudon, okonomiyaki (beni shoga), sushi (gari)
Substitutes: Pickle 1 tbsp julienned ginger in 1 tbsp rice vinegar + a pinch of salt for 15 minutes.
Storage: Unopened at room temperature or in the fridge until the best-before date. Opened, keep submerged in its brine in the fridge for 1–2 months.
Main countries: Japan
Used in this book: Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl)Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake)Okonomiyaki-Style Bindaetteok Currywurst Japanese Curry Rice Sukiyaki-Style Gyudon with Onsen Egg Gyudon Rice Burger Seafood Pajeon Okonomiyaki Khao Soi Curry Udon Seafood Mix Okonomiyaki with Homemade Sauce Okonomi Loaded Fries Teriyaki Sausage Sizzle with Japanese Mayo and Nori Schnitzel Katsu Curry Okonomiyaki Tortilla Crispy-Noodle Yakisoba with Homemade Sauce Yakisoba Grilled Cheese Hot Sandwich

Updated 2026-10-10