Sichuan Pickled CabbageRe: [Sca-cooks] A Question

[Elaine Koogler]

Similar, but somewhat different.  As I recall, the one I was given called for layering
Chinese cabbage (napa) with the peppercorns and possibly onions (can't be certain
here).  Then a brine, probably water boiled with salt and vinegar was poured over it
and it was allowed to pickle/ferment for (again I'm having memory problems) at least a
month.  It didn't have any chili flakes or red pepper in it at all.

thanks, though.  I may give this one a try for Pennsic...my lord loves kimchee, and he
will probably like this one!

Kiri

Philip & Susan Troy wrote:

> Elaine Koogler wrote:
> >
> > I haven't heard of doing that, but I do have a question along these lines for
> > everyone.  Some years ago, I was given a wonderful recipe for a very mild form
> > of kimchee, I think it may have been Vietnamese, as it came from a fellow who
> > had served there.  The thing that made it a bit different, apart from the
> > mildness of it (which made it so that I could eat it!!!) was that it used
> > szechuan pepper instead of one of the many types of red pepper/paprika/red
> > pepper flakes, etc.  Therefore, it didn't have that reddish appearance.
> >
> > If anyone has heard of this and has the recipe, I'd love to have it again.  It's
> > be really great for Pennsic...if I start it now.
>
> Could this be what you're thinking of? I believe this made it to last
> Pennsic with Phlip, and Margali had asked for the recipe, too, but life
> has, as always, been interesting, and you just reminded me. Once again,
> from _Florence Lin's Complete Book of Chinese Noodles, Dumplings, and
> Breads_,  the One True Chinese Cookbook. Well, my favorite, if perhaps
> less encyclopedic than some other good ones.
>
> "SICHUAN PICKLED CABBAGE
>
> Sichuan Pao Cai
>
> Yield: Serves 4 as a side dish
>
> 1 pound green cabbage (use the inner white leaves only)
> 3 Tbs coarse salt
> 4 cups cold water
> 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (optional) [Note: Adamantius sez check out
> cubebs if you have no Szechuan peppercorns]
> 4 dried hot chili peppers, or 1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes or to your taste
>
>         Cut or tear the cabbage into 1 1/2 by 1-inch pieces; you should have
> about six cups.
>         In a 2-quart wide-mouth jar, dissolve the salt in the water. Add the
> peppercorns and chili peppers. Mix well, then add the cabbage and press
> it down to the bottom within the liquid. Cover and keep the jar at room
> temperature for one day, then in the refrigerator for about three days.
> Remove the cabbage with clean, dry chopsticks or a fork and serve it
> cold. The brine will improve the flavor after two or three times of
> pickling. Store the relish jar in the refrigerator.
>         You may continue to use the brine. Add more fresh cabbage as a batch of
> it is used up. Cabbage soaked in aged brine will be pickled in one to
> two days. After you've added cabbage twice to the brine, replace the
> peppers if you like. When the liquid isn't enough to cover the cabbage,
> it is time to make a half recipe of brine and add that to the original."
>
> At another point in the section, Lin says:
>         "Other vegetables, such as cut-up caulifower, peeled broccoli stems,
> Chinese white turnips (luo-bo), the skins only scraped lightly; young
> green beans; peeled carrots; or young fresh peeled ginger (available in
> Chinese markets in early summer) may be used instead of cabbage or
> combined with it in the same jar. Two to four fresh chili peppers may be
> used instead of dried ones."
>
> This actually one of several Chinese pickle recipes found in this book,
> but this is one of the easiest and best.
>
> Adamantius
> --
> Phil & Susan Troy
>
> troy at asan.com
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