Sichuan Pickles Recipes

PICKLED VEGETABLE SICHUAN

Steps:

• Wash your pickle jar carefully and then put aside to drain all the water.
• Wash all the ingredients carefully and then drain them thoroughly. There should be no water.
• Put the water in a large pan and heat the water to boiling. Then move away from fire to cool down naturally.
• Get the dried pickle jar, put one layer of chili pepper and tender ginger, add one layer of salt and sparkle some Sichuan peppercorns. Repeat again until all the peppers and gingers are placed.
• Pour cooled down water to pickle jar. Make sure that all the ingredients are soaked by water.
• Cover the lid and pour some water in the edge to prevent any air goes into the jar.
• Put the jar in a cool environment and wait for 7 days.
• Add other ingredients into the jar to make your own favorite pickled vegetables. You can add cabbage, green beans, cucumber and radishes.

SICHUAN'S NATURALLY FERMENTED PICKLES (PAO CAI)

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Let cool to room temperature, and add liquor. You can refrigerate to speed up the process. Taste the brine to make sure the taste is pleasing to you and adjust accordingly.
• Wash vegetables and cut them into large bite-size pieces. Larger pieces are best for a Chinese pickling jar, so that they are caught under the jar's "shoulders" and held beneath the brine-though they have to be small enough to retrieve through the narrow neck of the jar. Dry the vegetables well and add to your clean, dry pickle jar, along with the ginger and Sichuan peppercorns (if using).
• Add brine to the jar almost to the top, being careful to put larger vegetables on top and tuck them under the jar's shoulders. It's ok if a few float to the top; if you have the right brine concentration and keep most veg under the brine, you should not have to weigh them down. Top off brine, replace lid and add water to the moat. (If using a Weck jar, use only the clips and not the rubber seal; if using a Mason jar, just screw lid on loosely, allowing an escape route for the gases.) Refrigerate any extra brine.
• Store the jar in a cool, dark place such as a pantry or cupboard to ferment. It's important to not let the moat go dry. Add water every few days as it evaporates to keep moat about half-way full. Sample the vegetables every day or two to check their sourness. Use clean chopsticks or long-handled spoon to remove vegetables, as your hands can contaminate the ferment. Top off brine if it is not above the vegetables. Cabbage can take as little as 1 day, while green beans and other vegetables take 5 to 7 days or longer, depending on the size of the vegetables, the room temperature and the desired sourness. Expect the vegetables to lose their bright colors as they ferment, but not their crunch or taste!
• When the brine begins to bubble, turns cloudy and takes on the color of the vegetables in it, then you know that fermentation has started. If using a larger jar or pickle crock, monitor it for the white yeast film that can occur naturally on the surface in lacto-fermentation and remove any that occurs. As you use the pickles, replenish the crock with more salt water, liquor, seasonings and vegetables. Reuse the brine for as long as it tastes fresh and pleasing and not rotty. Sichuan picklers can keep a brine going for years!

HOT SICHUAN CHILI OIL

Steps:

• Put the oil, star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, teaspoon cloves, garlic clove, shallot, and Szechuan peppercorns in a small pot, and turn the heat to medium high.
• When the oil temperature reaches 200ºF - there should tiny bubbles coming to the surface - let the ingredients infuse the oil for the 30-40 minutes. Keep an eye on the temperature (it's okay if it goes up to 220-230) and ingredients to make sure they are burning too quickly (getting dark in color).
• Set a glass or ceramic bowl down and place a strainer on top of it. Turn the heat off and carefully strain the oil through a sieve, into the bowl. Discard the ingredients that are left in the strainer.
• Add the Chinese chili flakes and salt and gently stir to mix. Let the chili oil cool down to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight storage container.

CHINESE PICKLED CABBAGE (SZECHUAN STYLE)

Steps:

• Cut the cabbage in pieces roughly 1" X 1 1/2" and separate the leaves.
• (There should be about 8 C).
• Using a 1 to 1 1/2 quart wide-mouth jar, dissolve the salt in the hot water; add the cold water, Szechuan peppercorns and chilies and mix well.
• When cool, add the gin and cabbage.
• Cover and refrigerate 4- 5 days.
• Remove the cabbage from the liquid and serve cold.
• The brine can be used over and over again (keep it refrigerated, of course).
• Add 2 t more salt every time you use it.
• After the first use it only takes about 2- 3 days for the cabbage to pickle.
• You'll need to add more chilies and another tablespoon gin after using the brine twice.
• Other vegetables can be used as well as cabbage.
• Try it with nappa, green beans, lo bok (dai kon in Japanese) or carrots.
• The vegetables can be combined.

SUAN CAI YU (EASY VERSION)

Steps:

• To slice catfish, tilt the knife so it's 45 degrees against the cutting board. Slice fish in a sawing motion along the grain into 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) thick slices.
• Combine fish, white pepper, salt, egg white, and potato starch in a bowl. Gently mix the ingredients by hand, until the fish is evenly coated with a thin layer of starch. Let marinate for 10 to 20 minutes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet (or a wok) over medium heat until warm. Add green onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper. When it starts to sizzle, turn to medium low heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add doubanjiang. Stir and cook until the herbs are evenly coated.
• Add Sichuan pickles and jalapenos (if using). Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add Shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan. Quickly stir a few times.
• Add chicken stock. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Turn to medium low heat and let the broth simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the pickles to a big serving bowl.
• Make sure there is at least 1 cm (1/2 inch) of broth in the skillet, so the fish slices will be submerged later. Add more chicken stock if necessary, and return to a boil.
• Add sugar, salt, and white pepper powder. Mix well. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed. The broth should be slightly salty.
• Turn to medium heat. Add fish slices in two batches. Use a spatula to gently transfer the fish to the skillet, and use a pair of tongs to quickly separate the slices without tearing the fish apart. Cook until fish is just cooked through, less than 30 seconds. Transfer the fish and the soup to the serving bowl on top of the pickles.
• Heat oil in another small skillet until warm. Add Sichuan peppercorns and doubanjiang. Cook and stir until the oil turns red and the peppercorns turn dark.
• Use a spatula (or colander) to remove and discard the solid ingredients.
• Pour the oil onto the fish while it's hot.
• Garnish the fish with green onion and serve warm.

SICHUAN PICKLES

Steps:

• 1. Toss the cabbage with 2 tablespoons of the salt. Add the wine and mix thoroughly. Put in an airtight container and leave at room temperature for 24 to 72 hours (48 hours is ideal). 2. The day before you're ready to make the pickles, toss the cucumbers with the remaining salt; cover and refrigerate overnight. 3. To make the pickles: heat the sesame oil until it begins to smoke, then pour it over the cayenne; set aside. Drain and discard about half the cabbage liquid. Combine the cabbage and its remaining liquid with the cucumbers and their liquid. Add the Sichuan peppercorns, chili paste, jalapeño and ginger and mix thoroughly. Garnish with the cayenne oil, peanuts, cilantro and scallions, and serve. Store leftovers in a glass jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.