CHINESE PICKLED VEGIES (Acar Cina)
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup of white rice vinegar
1 cup palm sugar
2 thin slices ginger
1 Chinese cabbage (nappa) cut into 2 1/2cm squares ( I prefer to use the thicker white part, stays crispier in the brine, you can use the leafy parts in the lumpias!)
1 clove garlic pureed together with a little salt
1 chilli pepper cut into thin rings
1 teaspoon sechuan peppercorns
½ cup soaked seeded raisins
2 or 3 shallots cut into thin rings
2 cucumbers, deseeded cut into thin half-moons
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ cup boiled water,cooled
Combine vinegar, sugar, ginger, peppercorns and bay leaf into a pot, heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, leave to cool.
Put cabbage,bell pepper and cucumber into a bowl sprinkle with salt and leave to marinate for 20 minutes or so, then rinse off the salt and liquid that has gathered in the bottom of the bowl, dry the vegies thoroughly and place together with the garlic-salt mix, raisins, chlli and shallots into a clean jar, pack it tightly and pour the cooled vinegar mix over the vegies, if the vegies are not completely covered, add some of the boiled water to make do. Cover the jar with a lid or cling foil and store into the fridge for three or four days, it is now ready to serve.
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