Suan cai

Suan cai

What it is

Whole napa cabbages go into a crock under a river stone: the weight, not an added brine, presses the juice out and keeps the leaves submerged while lactic bacteria work through a north-eastern winter. What comes out is translucent and sour rather than crisp and raw, which is why it is stewed with pork belly or fish instead of eaten from the jar.

In the kitchen

Squeeze the shreds dry and fry them in rendered pork fat before any liquid goes in; added straight to a stew they make it thin and sharp. A spoon of sugar rounds the acid without sweetening the pot.

Goes with

Pork belly White pepper Ginger Garlic Chili pepper Soy sauce Silken tofu (kinugoshi) Shaoxing wine

Same species

Baek-kimchi Broccoli Brussels sprout Cabbage Cauliflower Cavolo nero

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