Chinese Pickled Cucumber
A quick four-ingredient pickle that yields a crunchy texture and piquant flavor. Snack on them like chips or top a bowl of congee with them.
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Side
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 8 -12
Author: Maggie Zhu
- 1 pound pickling cucumbers (or baby gourmet cucumbers)
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 and 1/2 cups Chinkiang vinegar
- 1 head garlic , peeled
- sesame oil to serve with (Optional)
For a 1-day pickles, cut cucumbers into quarters or sandwich slices. Halve garlic lengthwise. Combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
For a crunchier texture, pickle whole cucumbers. Add all the ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. If the liquid cannot cover the cucumbers, keep adding soy sauce and vinegar at a ratio of 1:3. Refrigerate for at least 3 days, preferably a week. They will keep for 3 to 4 weeks.
To serve the pickles, thinly slice them and drizzle with a bit of sesame oil, if using.