Why Is The Ginger You Get With Sushi So Pink?

It's a sushi platter staple: small, pink slivers of pickled ginger. Called gari in Japanese, the name is meant to mimic the sound of a knife cutting through ginger. Gari is a type of amazuzuke — sweet pickled vegetables served with Japanese meals.

You probably already know that pickled ginger acts as a palate cleanser — the sharp, citrusy sweet taste helps reset your tongue, so you're ready for the next bite of temaki or maki. It can soothe your stomach, too — though it won't save you from eating five-day-old gas station sushi. But why is it pink?

No, sushi chefs weren't way ahead of the Barbiecore trend. It's not a different kind of ginger, either (well, not exactly). The good stuff comes from young ginger, or shin shoga. It's the same ginger root you're used to, but it's harvested in early summer before it fully matures. The young bulb is white and tender inside, and it's pink where the root meets the stalk. When shin shoga is brined in sugar, salt, and vinegar, it reacts with the brine and turns pink.

Fresh shin shoga is harder to come by, but the mild, sweet taste pairs better with sushi. Mature ginger — which has a stronger taste — stays the same color when it's brined.

Yup, you guessed it — commercial producers often add food coloring to mature ginger to make it look like shin shoga. Traditionally, beet or red perilla leaves are used. Nowadays, some brands use artificial dyes. Outside of Japan, dye is pretty much unavoidable. Sometimes, the young ginger just doesn't change color. Even if it does, the hue fades over time. It's still good quality, but it doesn't look as pleasant on a plate. Because of this, chefs sometimes dye it a pretty pink when it's out of season.

Gari isn't the only type of pink pickled ginger from Japan. It's a close cousin of beni shoga, red-colored pickled ginger sliced into thin pieces. Beni shoga is supposed to be dyed. The color comes from plum vinegar, not the ginger itself. Gari and beni shoga do have different purposes — beni shoga is a garnish, and gari is more of a side. Gari is sweet and served with sushi, whereas beni shoga is spicy and served with heavier foods — like alongside Japanese Kewpie mayo on okonomiyaki. 

You can find either product at most Asian markets, or try your hand at pickling to see the reaction for yourself instead. Check for shin shoga (also called new, young, or pink ginger) during the summer. If you can't find it, you can always try regular old ginger — but be prepared for a stronger, spicier taste.