Tsukemono steak is a distinctive regional dish from the Hida area of Gifu Prefecture. Locally, it is often called “tsuke-ste,” and it is a popular menu item at many izakaya, or traditional Japanese pubs, throughout the region.
In Hida, people have traditionally enjoyed cooking pickles over a fire. During the region’s cold winters, pickled vegetables were an important food source and helped supplement fresh vegetables, which could be difficult to obtain.
One theory about the dish’s origins traces it to a cooking method called kaiyaki. Frozen pickles were placed on a magnolia leaf (hoba) and warmed over the sunken hearth, or irori, to thaw them before eating. The dish also became a practical way to use pickles that had been stored for a long time.
Chinese cabbage pickles are commonly used to make tsukemono steak, and adding eggs is considered especially delicious. Recipes vary from household to household, with differences in seasoning and how thoroughly the pickles are fried.
In one traditional preparation, chopped pickles are grilled on a magnolia leaf and mixed with a raw egg, which cooks gently to a soft, semi-set consistency. Today, many restaurants and izakaya prepare the dish on an oiled hot plate or frying pan instead.
The pickles are fried until lightly browned, seasoned with soy sauce or miso, and gathered in the center of the pan. Beaten eggs are then poured over them and cooked until set. The finished dish is often garnished with dried bonito flakes and red pickled ginger.
1. Fry the pickles. Add a generous amount of oil to a frying pan or hot plate, then stir-fry the pickles until they develop some golden-brown, slightly crisp edges.
2. Season the mixture. Add soy sauce or miso to taste, then gather the pickles in the center of the pan.
3. Add the eggs. Pour beaten eggs over the pickles and cook until the eggs set to your preferred consistency.
4. Add the finishing touches. Sprinkle with dried bonito flakes, red pickled ginger, or shichimi togarashi, a Japanese seven-spice blend, if desired.
Although the basic recipe is simple, there are several variations to explore. Some cooks combine the pickles with grilled hoba miso, a traditional Hida dish in which miso is heated on a magnolia leaf. Others add shredded nori seaweed, season the dish with a broth-based tempura dipping sauce, or mix in canned mackerel.
Because tsukemono steak does not appear in historical written records, its exact origins remain uncertain, and it may be a relatively recent regional dish. Nevertheless, it has become a familiar part of Hida’s food culture.
Each household may have its own preferred recipe, from the type of pickles and seasonings used to the degree of browning. Sampling this comforting, savory dish at a local izakaya is a delicious way to discover the distinctive home-style cooking of the Hida region.