Rakkyo     

The bulbs look like garlic cloves and have a similar crunch. Different varieties of rakkyo emerge from different growing techniques and timelines, making them thinner or thicker and having different aromatic qualities. 

Rakkyo is most commonly pickled, and there are many ways to do it. It can be preserved simply with salt, or pickled in combinations of vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Some preparations even use the leftover brine from umeboshi plums, adding a subtle sweetness and complexity. 

Once pickled, rakkyo can keep for a long time, but it can also be enjoyed after just a few days, when it’s especially crisp and refreshing. Flavor-wise, it has a gentle garlic-like sweetness, enhanced by tang and depth from the pickling process. 

Just like most alliums, rakkyo is incredibly versatile; it can be eaten in salads, simmered, seared, fried, used in marinades and sauces and soups — the aromatics lend themselves to almost endless uses. 

You’ll find pickled rakkyo at Uwajimaya in the grocery section!