Chinese cabbage pickles

Earlier in Autumn you may have seen some recipes with pickled Chinese cabbage that my nice old neighbor gave me. She also promised at that time to teach me how to make some and last Sunday she came suddenly home with all (the four) ingredients necessary to make this delicious pickled cabbage. And we prepared it together. I like her way of cooking very much because it is very intuitive like mine. No need of a scale or precise measurements, just feeling. So my cabbage is now on it’s second day being pressed and I can’t wait to try it tonight!

Mrs K. pickled Chinese cabbage: 

– one Chinese cabbage

– 1/2 cup of salt

– 1/4 of yuzu zest or yuzu peel cut thinely

– 1/2 red pepper (togarashi – 唐辛子) cut thinely

You also need a large tupperware box or dish where the whole cabbage can fit, and a lid to put pressure on it (ideal a cutting bord that fits in the tupperware and a stone) 

The process takes 3 days so don’t expect to it right away!!! 

Wash and dry the cabbage, then cut it in 6 or 8 depending on its size, along the long side. Wash the tupperware and dry it. In a bowl mix the salt with the yuzu peels and the red pepper. Throw some of the sslt mic in the bottom of the tupperware, then lay your cabbage pieces in one row with the outer leaves towards the bottom. All in one single layer. Add some more salt mix a bit everywhere insisting more at the root if the leaves where it’s white and hard. Then top with your cutting board and apply weight on it. After 24h water would have come out. Then flip the cabbage, outer leaves up, and apply some more pressure for another 24-36h. Be careful that the water may overflow! Remove some if it might. It’s impressive how much water can come out! After the 2nd night and during the 3rd day you can start to eat your cabbage. Rinse under water and dry it in cooking paper before serving. Delicious with rice, rice porridge, or pasta soup.

Curry-quinoa

Here is again a recipe based on quinoa. Because it cooks rather quickly, quinoa is always a good option when running short of time and a good alternative to rice and pasta. Since I discovered this quinoa soup recipe last year in my vegetarian cookbook I have found new ideas to use quinoa rather than simply boiling it. I also find that it goes very very well with lotus roots. This time I prepared it in a spicy version. Simple, warm and tasty.

Vegan curry-quinoa: 

– 100g of quinoa (adjust depending on the size of your portions, mine are usually not big)

– 1 large lotus root or 2 or 3 small ones

– 1 large sato imo or if not available 1 potato

– 1 large carrot

– 2 tomatoes

– 1tbs of curry powder

– a pinch of nutmeg

– a pinch of cardamom

– a pinch of salt and pepper

optional: fresh lemon and fresh ginger

In a large pan set the quinoa, cover with water with about 1cm more water. Start cooking. Peel the carrot, the lotus root, the sato imo, cut in the shape/size you like and add to the quinoa. Add salt. Add the spices and the fresh ginger. Then add the tomatoes. By then the water should have almost disappeared. Check with a tooth pick for the sato imo (or potato) if cooked. Serve immediately with the juice of the lemon. Have a beautiful week!

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