Ingredients for Sichuan Pickled Peppers: 190g of chili peppers, 55g of lemon, 50g of salt, and an appropriate amount of rock sugar and spices (Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and bay leaves).
Method for Making Sichuan Pickled Peppers: Step 1: Prepare the ingredients. Clean the chili peppers, slice the lemon, and have rock sugar, salt, Sichuan peppercorns, bay leaves, and star anise ready.
Step 2: Pour salt into boiling water, dissolve on low heat, and then let it cool. The ratio of salt will be detailed in the tip section.
Step 3: Pour the cooled saltwater into a pickle jar.
Step 4: Place the spices (Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and bay leaves) into a cheesecloth bag; if no bag is available, they can be directly placed in the jar.
Step 5: Put the cheesecloth bag into the saltwater.
Step 6: Add the pickled peppers into the jar.
Step 7: Place lemon slices one by one, against the jar’s wall.
Step 8: Add rock sugar for seasoning.
Step 9: Close the lid, seal it, and wait for 20 days before consuming.
Cooking Tips for Sichuan Pickled Peppers: Salting is a method to increase osmotic pressure for food preservation. It is important to note that the salt concentration should reach 15%-20% to kill microorganisms and prevent ‘bloom’ in the pickle jar. The reason for waiting 20 days before consumption is that nitrites in pickles start to increase 8 hours after pickling, peak between 7-14 days, then gradually decrease, and stabilize again around 20 days. Therefore, it is best to consume pickles after 20 days.
There are tricks to making delicious dishes, and each of my recipes has its own tips. You can search for ‘Sichuan Snacks’ to directly view my recipes!
