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Zha cai
榨菜: knobbly mustard stems salted, pressed and cured with chilli and Sichuan pepper into a crunchy relish
Every winter along the Yangtze at Fuling, below Chongqing, the knobbly stem tubers of a mustard plant are strung on bamboo racks to dry in the river wind, then salted, pressed and cured in great pottery jars. That is zha cai, literally pressed vegetable, and a little dish of its shreds sits beside a bowl of rice congee at breakfast across China, or gets tossed into pork noodle soup. The taste is salty, sour-savoury and gently numbing from Sichuan pepper, with a dense, squeaky crunch. Fresh zha cai tubers are rare abroad; kohlrabi has the same texture and works very well. Common mistake: not pressing out enough water between the two saltings, which leaves it limp and diluted. It is ready after about 2 weeks in the fridge, when the pieces have turned translucent at the edges and taste rounded rather than raw. Salt here is high, about 12% of the dried weight in total, so it keeps 3 months in the fridge with a clean dry spoon; discard if fuzzy mould, slime or a rotten smell appears. Chef's tip: soak slices for 10 minutes before cooking if you find them too salty; that is how Chongqing cooks do it.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
For the stems
- 2 ¼ lb zha cai mustard tubersor kohlrabi, peeled
- 1 ⅜ oz coarse saltfirst salting, 4%
- 1 ⅜ oz coarse saltsecond salting
For the cure
- 2 tbsp coarse Sichuan chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 ⅛ in cassia bark
- ½ oz salt
- 1 tsp sugar
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Peel the 2 ¼ lb zha cai mustard tubers, removing any woody parts, and cut into 3–4 cm chunks with a flat side. Lay them on a rack in a dry, breezy spot (or under a fan) for 2 days, until the surfaces are leathery and they have lost about a third of their weight.
20 minStep 2: First salting: toss the chunks with 1 ⅜ oz coarse salt in a large glass or steel bowl, put a plate on top and weigh it down with 2–3 kg (a pan of water). Leave in a cool place for 24 hours; plenty of brine will come out.
5 minStep 3: Drain, then squeeze the chunks hard by hand or in a cloth until no more liquid drips. Toss with 1 ⅜ oz coarse salt, weigh down again and leave another 24 hours.
10 minStep 4: Drain and squeeze again, as firmly as you can; the pieces should feel firm and dense, almost rubbery.
10 minStep 5: Toast 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, 2 star anise, 1 tsp fennel seeds and 1 ⅛ in cassia bark in a dry pan over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, until fragrant. Cool and grind to a coarse powder.
5 minStep 6: Wash a 1 litre jar in hot soapy water, rinse and dry it in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes; cool completely.
10 minStep 7: Toss the pressed chunks with the spice powder, 2 tbsp coarse Sichuan chilli flakes, ½ oz salt and 1 tsp sugar until evenly red.
Step 8: Pack very tightly into the jar, pressing out air pockets with the back of a spoon, close, and cure in the fridge for 2 weeks. It is ready when the cut faces look translucent and it tastes savoury and rounded. Keep in the fridge up to 3 months; discard if fuzzy mould, slime or a rotten smell appears. Slice or shred to serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 15 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zha cai take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of star anise?
- ½ tsp aniseeds or fennel seeds per star.
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
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