Shiozuke
pickles in salt
塩漬け
[Umeboshi, salt-pickled plums]
The common way of pickling is with salt (shiozuke). This is the easiest and most popular method. Sliced vegetables are salted and put under a weight in the pickling press (tsukemonoki). The pressure causes the vegetables to release their liquids which then mix with the salt and form brine which preserves the vegetables. The salt is removed by washing before serving. Very light pickles can be made by just keeping them in the press for one night (ichiyazuke). This is also called "asazuke", although asazuke are not only made with salt, but also with vinegar or rice bran. The original flavor of the vegetable is preserved in this way.
Any type of vegetable (or even sansai or mushrooms) can be used for shiozuke.
Some common examples of shiozuke are:
Hakusei-zuke - with Chinese cabbage
Kyabetsu no shiozuke - with cabbage
Kyuri no shiozuke - Japanese cucumbers, either whole or cut in rings
Nasu no shiozuke - with Japanese eggplants
Umeboshi - Japanese "plums"