from PM’s CC Vol I. Spicy pickles! There is really nothing to making pickles. Classic Chinese pickles are brined for a few hours, then marinated for a few more with rice vinegar, garlic, and sugar. PM presents a Szechuan variety that packs a big oomph of spiciness and a hint of sesame oil.
麻辣 ma2la4 — numb and spicy, a common flavor combination in Szechuan food
黃瓜 huang2gua1 — cucumbers
What you need to make pickles! Szechuan peppercorns and chili oil are in the unlabeled jars.
I love making pickles because there’s so little effort involved, and those long marinating times mean I can blithely leave them alone to go do other things. PM suggests brining the cucumbers for 2-3 hours; I tend to go at least for 4. As for the marinating step with peppercorns, garlic, and the other seasonings, I’ll just pop the cucumbers in the fridge and leave them overnight.
I’m having a couple friends over for dinner tomorrow and planning to have them munch on these pickles as I finish stir-frying. Sweet, sour, sesame-y, and not too spicy…so good!
Time taken: 5 minutes active, 12 hours napping
Difficulty level: ridiculously easy
Spicy pickles, armed and dangerous.
