Ya cai ✦

Ya cai

What it is

Ya cai is made from the tender upper stems of a Sichuan mustard, salted and then fermented a second time with sugar, which is where the dark sweetness comes from. Yibin sells it already minced as sui mi ya cai, and dan dan noodles built on anything else are a different dish.

In the kitchen

Fry it dry in a little oil until it smells nutty before anything else joins the pan; straight from the packet it is limp and one-dimensional. Rinse only if the brand is aggressively salty - rinsing costs aroma.

Goes with

Pork Chilli crisp Sichuan pepper Chinese sesame paste Soy sauce Spring onion Toasted sesame oil Garlic

Same species

Baek-kimchi Broccoli Brussels sprout Cabbage Cauliflower Cavolo nero

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