Picked vegetables are considered a side dish, an indispensable feature during Tet in Vietnam along with sticky rice cake and red couplets. Today, TasteVN will join you in the kitchen to make 2 delicious cucumber pickles and kohlrabi pickles with a super simple recipe to make your meals less boring!
1. Cucumber Pickles
-
Preparation
20 minutes
-
Cooking
30 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Cucumber Pickles For 3 people
Cucumber 1/2 kg Pineapple 1/4 fruit Lemon 1/4 fruit Garlic 8 cloves Chili 1 fruit Herbs A little Roasted peanuts 50 gr Fried onions A little Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Sugar 2 tablespoons Salt 1/3 teaspoon
Tools for Preparation
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to Choose Fresh Cucumbers
- Choose cucumbers that are bright green, fairly uniform in color, and free from dark spots or yellowing, as these are signs that the cucumbers have been stored for too long and are starting to spoil.
- Fresh cucumbers are long and evenly sized, feeling firm to the touch, with a smooth skin and no bumps.
- Avoid buying cucumbers that are swollen, larger in the middle, or have a large head and a small tail (and vice versa) as these are overripe cucumbers, with many seeds, tough, and not tasty.
How to Choose Fresh Pineapples
- When buying, choose pineapples that have a mix of yellow and green because these are just ripe, not too green and not overripe. Round, short pineapples will have more flesh than the elongated ones.
- Select pineapples with large eyes and a wider spacing between the eyes, as they will have thinner skin and less flesh loss when peeled. Choose those that have a faint fragrance and are moderately soft when pressed.
- Do not choose pineapples that are deep yellow, have a strong smell, or are mushy when pressed, as they may be overripe and possibly spoiled inside. Additionally, avoid those that are too green with undeveloped eyes, as these are unripe and very sour.
How to Prepare Pickled Cucumbers
-
Make the Fish Sauce
Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of sugar into a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Next, peel the garlic, remove the stem from the chili, chop finely, and add them to the fish sauce mixture.
-
Mixing pickled vegetables
You put cucumber and the mixture of fish sauce into bowl, mix well and let it sit for about 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Next, squeeze an additional 1/4 piece of lemon to soften the salty taste of the fish sauce and blend with the sweetness of sugar. When eating, cut a little fresh herbs into small pieces and mix again.
Tip: Do not mix fresh herbs with fish sauce at the same time as it will lose the aroma of the herbs and the fish sauce mixture, causing the herbs to become wilted and lose color.
-
Final product
You arrange the pickled vegetables on a plate, then add roasted peanuts and fried onions on top to enhance the flavor of the dish!
Crispy and cool cucumbers combined with pineapple and rich fish sauce, surely everyone will love it when trying it for the first time.
2. Pickled Kohlrabi
-
Preparation
20 minutes
-
Cooking
35 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Pickled Kohlrabi Serves 4 people
Kohlrabi 1 bulb Carrot 1 bulb Garlic 2 cloves Chili sauce 1/2 tablespoon Vinegar 2 tablespoons Seasoning powder 1.5 teaspoons Sugar 2 tablespoons
Utensils required
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose crunchy and delicious carrots
- Choose bulbs that are medium-sized, with a straight and elongated shape towards the tail, smooth skin, firm to the touch, and slightly hard.
- Select carrots that have a bright, deep orange color, with fresh green tops tightly attached to the body of the bulb.
- Avoid carrots that have wilted or damaged tops, bruised bodies, are slimy, have dark spots, and feel soft to the touch when pressed.
How to choose delicious sweet kohlrabi
-
Good kohlrabi has a moderate size, feels heavy and firm when held in hand. The stem of fresh kohlrabi is a vibrant green and tightly attached to the bulb.
-
Choose bulbs that are intact, have a normal shape, and a bright light green color.
-
Do not choose bulbs that feel soft when held, have deep holes, are bruised, or lack stems, leaves, or have yellowing leaves, or have an unusual shape.
- It is not advisable to buy pre-peeled kohlrabi, as most are soaked in water with chemicals to keep the kohlrabi fresh and visually appealing.
How to prepare Pickled Kohlrabi
-
Prepare the ingredients
After purchasing, wash the kohlrabi and carrots thoroughly to remove any dirt on the surface, then peel and slice them thinly, or cut into flower shapes as desired. Peel the garlic, rinse briefly, and then chop finely.
Mix the prepared kohlrabi and carrots in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder and soak for about 15 minutes; if the kohlrabi releases water, discard it and do not rinse with water.
-
Mixing sauce
Mix the seasoning mixture including: 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1/2 tablespoon of chili sauce into a bowl and stir well.
-
Making kohlrabi salad
Pour the mixed sauce into the bowl of kohlrabi and carrots and let it soak for another 30 minutes to absorb before serving.
-
Final Product
Turnip and carrot are crunchy, sweet, and very flavorful, just right to eat. The colorful pickled vegetables are fresh and eye-catching, creating an appetite for the family. This pickled vegetable dish, when stored in the refrigerator and served with grilled food, is simply perfect.
Above is 2 simple ways to make cucumber pickles and kohlrabi pickles that you can easily make at home to prepare for a more complete family Tet holiday. TasteVN wishes you success and a wonderful tasting moment!
https://www.facebook.com/priscilla.nguyen2
