Kaki to shungiku no kurumizu-ae / persimmon and garland chrysanthemum in sweetened vinegar with walnuts

“Wow!” Tom said, after his first bite. Sweet orange-colored autumn fruit is paired with aromatic garland chrysanthemum, with lightly sweetened vinegar and walnuts smoothly working as a go-between.

<Ingredients>

1 persimmon
1/3-1/2 bunch (100g) shungiku garland chrysanthemum
Approx. 10 whole walnuts (15-20 g)

For sweetened vinegar
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp mirin
1/2 tsp usukuchi soy sauce
Generous pinch sugar


<Directions>
1.

Boil walnuts for several minutes or until water turns dark brown.

Drain.

2.

Remove shungiku leaves from stems.
Diagonally slice stems.

Bring water to boil, add a small amount of salt, and blanch shungiku, first adding stems; count to 10, then add leaves.  

When leaves brighten, immediately transfer to ice water.

Once cool, squeeze out water, and set aside.

3.

Peel walnuts, and grind 1/2-2/3 in suribachi mortar.

Save remaining walnuts. 

Add all ingredients for sweetened vinegar to ground walnuts, and mix well.

Kurumizu [sweetened rice vinegar with walnuts] is ready.

4.

Slice or dice persimmon. Remove seeds as necessary.

5.

Squeeze out water from shungiku once again, and add to walnut vinegar mixture.

Mix well. 

Add persimmon and remaining walnuts, and gently mix.

<Notes>

• Boiling walnuts until the water turns brown makes them taste very mild and not bitter at all. If a toasty taste and aroma are desired, walnuts can be toasted and skinned.
• Peeling walnuts takes time. It can be done in advance so that the rest goes quickly.
• If you do not have a mortar, place walnuts in a plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin or knife handle, then mix with other ingredients. Walnuts do not need to be finely ground.
• To prevent a soggy taste at the end, make sure to squeeze out extra water from shungiku before adding it to walnut vinegar mixture.