🍱 Seisai-zuke (Pickled seisai mustard)

Yamagata Prefecture is known for its diverse pickling culture, with "Seisai mustard pickles" being one of its most popular varieties. These pickles are made from Yamagata seisai mustard, a type of leaf mustard, and are often paired with "Omizuke" to represent the prefecture's pickling traditions. The "pickled seisai mustard" has its roots in Chongqing, China, and was introduced to Yamagata Prefecture in 1908. After a prototype was made at the Agricultural Experiment Station, it was found to be superior in quality to other pickled greens like "bok choy", Chinese cabbage, and spinach. This led to the cultivation of "Yamagata seisai mustard", which began in the Murayama region and later spread throughout the prefecture during the Showa era. "Yamagata seisai mustard" is characterized by its large, broad leaves - measuring 70 cm to 80 cm in length - and thick stems. Each plant weighs around 500 grams and has a unique pungent taste and crunchy texture. To make the pickles, the greens are lightly dried in the sun, pickled in salt, rinsed carefully, and then pickled again in a sauce made from soy sauce, kelp, dried bonito flakes, and other ingredients. The harvest season for "Yamagata seisai mustard" is from late October to mid-November, and the greens are dried in the sun after harvesting. It's a common sight to see households drying the greens and preparing pickles in their yards during the early winter months.