How to Make Pickled Spare Ribs

As an old Beijinger, preserved vegetables are a must when drinking soup.Even some households always place a stack of preserved vegetables on the table at any time. Old brands offer many varieties, but my family prefers to eat pickled cucumbers exclusively.The crisp and crunchy texture is very enjoyable. However, as the price of preserved vegetables has become more expensive than meat,  I started researching how to make them myself. After multiple trials, I developed a recipe that tastes great with just the right saltiness and a satisfying crunch, making it perfect for drinking soup. There are two tricks to making pickled cucumbers: first, you must remove the seeds from the cucumber as they release too much liquid; secondly, make sure to squeeze out any moisture after marinating before soaking them in soy sauce.I use short and light green summer cucumbers that we grow ourselves. Early market green-skinned cucumbers can be used too, but I believe these shorter and thicker cucumbers have a better texture. There are two tricks for making pickled cucumbers: first, you must remove the seeds from the cucumber as they release too much liquid; secondly, make sure to squeeze out any moisture after marinating before soaking them in soy sauce. This gives the best crunch and enjoyment when eaten. If your teeth are not strong and you prefer a tender texture, you can use green-skinned cucumbers as well but also remove the seeds.

Ingredients: Introduction:

Main ingredients: Summer cucumbers (1150g)Side ingredients:Soy sauce(300g)  Dark soy sauce (100g) Large spice cloves (1 piece)Ginger (10g) Garlic cloves (3 pieces) Salt (10g)Dried red chili peppers (3 pieces)Tspoon seeds (15 grains)Pickled cucumber preparation steps: 1. Wash and remove the seeds from the cucumbers.2. Cut into strips, mix with 11 grams of salt, and marinate for three hours. 3. Squeeze out any excess water after marinating, then lay them on a rack to dry using an electric fan (or use a steamer tray that has holes for ventilation).

4. Cut the dried chili peppers into segments; prepare the ginger and garlic slices.

5. Mix 300 grams of light soy sauce with 100 grams of dark soy sauce, add one large spice clove and fifteen grains of tspoon seeds, then cook until boiling.

6. Boil for a while, then turn off the heat to cool down.

7. Dry the cucumbers using the electric fan until they have shrunk by at least half (I used four hours with my small fan).8. Place the chili pepper segments and ginger and garlic slices in a glass container. 9. Add the cooled soy sauce mixture, seal the container tightly and refrigerate for one day before consumption.

Tips:

1. Remove the seeds from the cucumber.

2. Squeeze out any excess water after marinating before soaking them in soy sauce to achieve a crisp texture.

The cucumber strips should be dried out at least by half.(Due to my small electric fan, it took four hours)

8. Put the pepper segments, garlic slices, and ginger slices in a glass container.

9. Place the dried-out cucumber strips into the glass container, pour in the cooled soy sauce, cover tightly, and refrigerate for one day before consumption.

A tip:

1 The cucumber must have its seeds removed.2 After pickling, it should be dried out again before soaking in soy sauce to ensure a crisp texture.