Chinese Pickles

Chinese-style Pickled Vegetables

• Serves: one x 750ml bottle of pickles
• Prep: 20 mins
• Cook: 5 mins

This Chinese-style pickles is the perfect appetizer dish to complement any Chinese meal. You can eat it an hour after soaking but for best results, allow to soak overnight before consumption. Keeps refrigerated for about a week (though it will probably not last that long).

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber de-seeded, cut to uniform, chunky fries strips
• 1 carrot peeled, cut to uniform, chunky fries strips
• 8 shallots peeled and thinly sliced
• 50 grams sliced pineapples diced
• 2 chilli padi sliced thinly; to taste
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp + a pinch of salt to taste
• one x 750ml glass bottle

Instructions

1. Rub cut cucumber with 1 tsp salt, allow to 'sweat' for at least 30 minutes. This will make the cucumbers more crunchy. Rinse, drain and squeeze dry.
   
2. In a saucepan, bring to a simmer: vinegar, sugar, water and a pinch of salt, until the sugar dissolves. Adjust to taste accordingly to your preference.
   
3. When the vinegar solution has cooled, add to it the prepared cucumber, carrot, shallots, pineapple and chilli. Store in a covered glass bottle and refrigerate.