Unique and Attractive Simple Method to Pickle Central Vietnamese Scallions That Anyone Can Do

How to process central region pickled shallots

• 1

  Preparing the shallots

  After buying, peel 500g of shallots, then cut off the roots and wash them thoroughly with water.

  Next, take 1 bowl of wood ash (sift it to remove the charcoal) and mix it with 1 liter of water. Pour the cleaned shallots into the ash water and soak for about 10 – 12 hours.

  Tip: Soaking the shallots in wood ash will make them whiter and reduce the pungency. If you don’t have wood ash, you can substitute it with salt.

  After soaking in the ash water, mix about 1.5 liters of water with 3 spoons of salt, stir well, and then soak the shallots for about 6 hours. Next, to avoid cutting your hands during preparation, wear gloves, then use a knife to cut off the roots.

  Cut the shallots to a moderate length (not too long or too short) to make them tastier when eaten. Soak the shallots in salt water for about 10 minutes. After that, wash the shallots with water 3 times.

  Note:

  • Do not soak in salt water for too long to avoid the shallots becoming too salty.
  • You should only lightly cut the roots, not cut too close to avoid making the shallots soft quickly and causing bubbles when soaking in sugar or fish sauce.

  After washing, use a bamboo rack (do not use plastic) and immediately sun-dry the shallots for about 2 sunny days.

  Tip:

  • Since the green sprouts in the shallots are very thin, make sure to sun-dry them immediately to prevent the sprouts from growing quickly.
  • If you are making at night or do not have sunlight to dry, you can use drying methods as a substitute. However, this method may not be very safe for the dish.
  • Avoid using plastic items to dry as it will reduce the fragrant taste of the shallots.

  

  

  

  
• 2

  Prepare papaya and carrot

  For the papaya, cut off the stem and wait about 5 – 7 minutes for the sap to drain completely. Then, use a knife to cut the papaya in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds inside.

  Next, use a peeler to remove the outer skin and then use a small knife to trim the inner strands. Finally, take 1/2 of the halved papaya and cut it into 4 pieces. Use a knife to cut the papaya into small pieces about 1.5 finger lengths.

  For the carrot, wash it thoroughly and then peel the skin. After that, carve the carrot into flowers and slice it into bite-sized pieces.

  Mix 1 liter of water with 1 teaspoon of salt and soak the carrot and papaya for about 10 minutes. After soaking, rinse with water 3 times and then dry in the sun for 1 sunny day.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Making sweet fish sauce

  First, add 300ml of fish sauce and 100gr of rock sugar into a bowl and stir well to dissolve some of the sugar.

  Next, place a pan on the stove and pour the fish sauce mixture in, simmering on low heat until the rock sugar completely dissolves. Then, add 200gr of granulated sugar and stir well.

  Once the sugar has fully dissolved, increase the heat to bring the fish sauce to a boil quickly. Continue to simmer the fish sauce mixture on low heat for about 8 minutes. Finally, turn off the stove and let it cool completely.

  Tip:

  • Do not add any water during the cooking process to ensure the pickled onions last longer.
  • For rock sugar, you should crush it beforehand, as it will dissolve faster this way.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Pickled Scallions

  Use a plastic box, then add all the ingredients and place it in the refrigerator refrigerator for about one night before proceeding to pickle the scallions.

  Take a glass jar, rinse it with boiling water and let it dry. Next, arrange the scallions in a circular pattern and alternate with papaya and carrot to make the jar look more appealing.

  Then, use 2 small bamboo sticks to place on the surface, crossing each other, and pour the fish sauce until it just covers the surface of the ingredients, without submerging them.

  To keep the scallions preserved longer, after 5 days, the scallions will release a lot of water. At this point, you should strain the fish sauce, boil it for 7 minutes, and let it cool completely before pouring it back in for soaking as initially done.

  Tip:

  • When you put the container of ingredients in the refrigerator, it will help your scallions to be crisper and tastier.
  • You should use a small jar for pickling to avoid using a large jar, as it may cause your scallions to spoil faster during use.
  • Placing 2 small bamboo sticks will help keep the scallions submerged in the fish sauce, thus preserving them longer and preventing them from browning.
  • You should place the pickled scallion jar in the refrigerator to preserve it, which will help maintain its delicious flavor without the fear of souring.
    

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Finished Product

  After soaking for about 10 days, you can enjoy it. The pickled onions have a salty taste blended with an incredibly delicious sweetness, bringing you a crispy, rich flavor.

  Especially, with this Central Region pickled onion dish, when eaten with white rice or bánh chưng or bánh tét during Tet, it is irresistibly delicious!