From the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | |
| Daikon | 5 |
| Weight stones | — |
| Carrot | 3 to 6 cm |
| Dried herring (migaki-nishin) | 10 |
| Rice | 1 1/2 cups |
| Seasonings and liquids | |
| Natural salt | 2.5 to 3% |
| Yuzu peel, kombu, red chili pepper | a little |
| Water from washing rice | — |
| Hot water | 1/2 to 1 cup |
Behind daikon-zushi are the Kitamaebune, a group of merchant ships that carried rice and fish from Hokkaido through the Sea of Japan to Edo and Osaka, and had links with the domain from the time of the lords. Noto, a stop along the voyage, received goods from all over the country.
Herring was especially plentiful and one of the seafoods ordinary people could easily get. In port towns, there were many warehouses to keep a great amount of herring, called “nishin-gura.” Migaki-nishin is herring landed, with its insides and roe (kazunoko) removed, and dried. It was used in daikon-zushi in winter, and in simmered dishes through the year.
Unlike kaburazushi, served on special days such as New Year, daikon-zushi uses daikon and herring that are easy to get, so families made it in daily life. It is a local dish found across a wide area of the prefecture.
How it is pickled differs by region. In Kanazawa, daikon cut into thin sticks, small pieces of herring and carrot are pickled in amazake. In snowy areas, koji is used instead of amazake, which turns sour easily. The soft, sweet Gensuke daikon, a Kaga vegetable, goes well with it. Some areas pickle round slices of daikon with salted mackerel or salmon in between.
It is taken out of the barrel and eaten with the koji still on. Some people shy away from its rough look, but many like the harmony of the sweetness of daikon and fatty fish with the sourness of fermentation, and the crisp texture of the daikon. You can eat it bones and all, and it goes well with drinks.
It is a home dish passed from mothers to children and from children to grandchildren. Before the war, many families pickled it like other pickles. Fewer do today, but cooking classes still teach it and many supermarkets and delicatessens sell it.
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.