Chinese Pickled Cabbage (Szechuan Style)
Overview:
🥢 Cuisine: Chinese
🕒 Prep Time: 5 days
🕒 Total Time: 5 days
🍽️ Yield: 8 cups
🔍 Keywords: Asian, Weeknight
Description:
This Chinese Pickled Cabbage recipe, originating from “Florence Lin’s Chinese Regional Cookbook,” is a delightful blend of flavors that adds a tangy kick to any meal. Its versatility allows for various vegetable substitutes or combinations, making it adaptable to your preferences.
Ingredients:
- 1 cabbage
- 2 hot chili peppers
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 cup hot water
- 3 cups cold water
- 1/4 cup Szechuan peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons gin
Instructions:
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Preparation:
- Cut the cabbage into pieces roughly 1″ x 1 1/2″ and separate the leaves, aiming for about 8 cups of cabbage.
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Brine Mixture:
- In a 1 to 1 1/2 quart wide-mouth jar, dissolve the salt in hot water.
- Add the cold water, Szechuan peppercorns, and hot chili peppers to the jar, mixing well to combine the ingredients.
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Pickling Process:
- Once the brine mixture has cooled, add the gin and prepared cabbage to the jar.
- Cover the jar and refrigerate for 4-5 days to allow the cabbage to pickle thoroughly.
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Serving:
- After the pickling period, remove the cabbage from the liquid and serve it cold as a delicious side dish.
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Reusing Brine:
- The brine can be reused multiple times. Simply store it in the refrigerator between uses.
- Add 2 teaspoons of salt every time you reuse the brine to maintain its potency.
- After the first use, the cabbage will pickle faster, typically within 2-3 days.
- For subsequent uses, consider adding additional chili peppers and another tablespoon of gin to enhance the flavor.
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Variations:
- Experiment with different vegetables such as napa cabbage, green beans, daikon (lo bok), or carrots.
- Feel free to mix and match vegetables to create unique flavor combinations.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
- Calories: 27.1
- Fat: 0.1g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 1757.6mg
- Carbohydrates: 4.2g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 2.6g
- Protein: 1g
Tips:
- Ensure the cabbage is completely submerged in the brine to ensure even pickling.
- Adjust the level of spiciness by adding more or fewer chili peppers according to your taste preference.
- For a milder flavor, remove the seeds from the chili peppers before adding them to the brine.
- Store the pickled cabbage in a sealed container in the refrigerator for extended freshness.
Enjoy Your Homemade Chinese Pickled Cabbage!
This Szechuan-style pickled cabbage adds a delightful tangy and spicy twist to your meals. With its simple preparation and flavorful outcome, it’s sure to become a staple in your culinary repertoire.
