Sichuan Pickle
Homemade Sichuan pickles. It is simple, tangy, and flavorful!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 35kcal
Cost: $5
Equipment
- Pickle jar
Ingredients
- vegetables of choice
- water boiling water, cooled down
- salt 5%
- 1 tsp high % alcohol e.g., vodka; plus amount for rinsing the jar
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn
- 6-10 pieces Chinese rock sugar optional, but it will help the fermentaion process; you can also use 1 tbsp of granulated sugar as alternative
Instructions
- Prepare the Pickle Jar: Clean the pickle jar with water and rinse it thoroughly with high percentage alcohol (like vodka) to sterilize. Discard the alcohol after rinsing. Dissolve salt in the water (5% ratio, eg. 50 grams of salt per liter of water / approx. 6.7oz of salt per gallon of water). Make sure the salt is fully dissolved in the water, I used lukewarm water and wait it complete cool down.
- Prepare Vegetables: Wash your vegetables thoroughly. If using tap water in the jar, you can proceed to add them directly. If using cooled down boiling water or distilled water, completely air-dry the veggies before adding to the jar.My approach combines two methods: wash the vegetables thoroughly under tap water, then soak them in cold boiled water before adding to the jar. This step kind of set the vegetables to a similar environment within the jar.
- Jar Filling: Add 1 tbsp of Sichuan peppercorns and 6-10 pieces of rock sugar to the jar. Pour the saltwater solution over the vegetables and make sure they are completely submerged. Fill the water close to the jar's entrance to minimize air exposure. Add 1 tsp of high % alcohol in the end.
- Sealing: Use a small piece of saran wrap to pre-seal the jar, which will prevent the water in the "moat" accidentally entering the main jar and causing contamented. Cover with the lid and fill water into the moat. Always make sure the moat area contains water, which helps keep out oxygen.
- Wait for 2-3 weeks, enjoy! Note: if it goes bad on the first batch, discard the veggies and repeat the process.
Nutrition
Calories: 35kcal