Pickled Eggplant
For this delicious dish, the eggplants need to be white, crispy, and not sour. First, choose eggplants that are firm, unbruised, and evenly sized. Ideally, they should be freshly picked from the tree and slightly overripe.
Sun-dry the eggplants for two hours or keep them in a shady area for half a day; they will wilt and become crispier when pickled.
When cutting the stems, avoid cutting too deep into the flesh of the fruit. Immediately place the eggplants in a basin of water to prevent discoloration. Soak them in a brine solution for 15-20 minutes before pickling.
To pickle the eggplants, add ginger, garlic, and chili peppers to eliminate bacteria and prolong their shelf life. The pickling solution should be slightly warm; boil it with vinegar and sugar, then let it cool to around 30 degrees Celsius. To speed up the pickling process, you can add a little fish sauce.
After pouring the pickling solution over the eggplants, add a few spoons of salt, julienned ginger, and sliced chilies on top. Do not stir the surface salt; it will dissolve on its own if the initial concentration was correct.
Note:
- Do not use plastic containers for pickling eggplants, and ensure the eggplants are fully submerged in the solution, or they will turn black.
- You can use small plates and water-filled plastic bags to weigh down the eggplants.
- Only pickle enough eggplants for immediate consumption. If you pickle too many, the excess brine will develop a white scum, which is harmful.
Pickled Cucumbers
Similar to eggplants, choose high-quality cucumbers for the best results. Look for large, unwilted leaves free from insect damage or rot. Sun-dry them for a day to achieve a crispier, golden texture.
For the pickling solution, use water that has already been used to pickle vegetables once, or add lemon juice to speed up the process. When adding the cucumbers to the jar, place the stems at the bottom and cover them with leaves.
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Note:
- As with eggplants, avoid using plastic containers for pickling cucumbers.
- When pressing the cucumbers, do not use heavy objects as they may crush the cucumbers. Instead, use two crossed bamboo sticks.
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