One Hour Spicy Pickled Cucumber

Happy Chinese New Year, my friends!

If you have someone Chinese in your family, you will no doubt have been overfed at some sort of New Year celebration. This is our version of Christmas.

For Chinese New Year meals, I usually play the part of mum's sous chef and get to contribute a few small dishes to the main meal. This year, my contribution was a spicy pickled cucumber. 

I learned this recipe from a new friend last year and it has been part of my menu whenever we have braised pork, dumplings, BBQs and any dish that requires a nice fresh component. 

What I love about this recipe is that it is so quick to make and impressive to look at. In fact, I love this recipe so much that it has replaced my very own.

Laoganma Spicy Chili Sauce and Chinkiang Vinegar

The secret to this great tasting pickle is some Laoganma Spicy Chili Sauce and Chinkian Vinegar.  The Vinegar is a type of black rice vinegar from Jiangsu Province in China and tastes like a more earthy version of balsamic vinegar. 

Laoganma is probably one of the most well known spicy chili sauces in China and is my favourite addition to dumpling sauces, noodles and stirfry dishes. It is a fragrant blend of chilis, soy beans and other goodies ready made for your meals (note: I am not being sponsored by them or anything, I am just a major fan girl).

Step 3: adding all the ingredients

If you're having a meal involving many rich dishes, why not give this recipe a go? 

One Hour Spicy Pickled Cucumber
(Adapted from a family recipe)

Ingredients:

1 telegraph cucumber
2 Tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
3 Tablespoons light soy sauce (I prefer Pearl River Bridge brand)
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 Tablespoon Laoganma spicy chili sauce

Method:

1. Thinly slice the cucumber on the diagonal, 2/3 way through.
2. Turn the cucumber over and thinly slice 1/2 way through.
3. Place the cucumber into a seal-able tupperware container and add the remaining ingredients.
4. Close the lid and shake vigorously.
5. Place container in the fridge for 1 hour, removing halfway through to shake again.
6. Prior to serving, cut the cucumber right through with a pair of food scissors to separate it into bite size pieces.

Chinese Braised Pork Ribs and Pickled Cucumber

One of the highlights of my day is to wind down while cooking dinner. I spend my commute home trying to remember what is left in the fridge and figure how to combine them into something that is dinner worthy. Sometimes, the combinations are pretty average but, every once in a while, the stars align and the result is something worth sharing.

My Chinese Braised Pork is something I'm reasonable proud of as it wowed both Jason and our flatmate, John Dory. Because of its ability to save me a lot of time, the pressure cooker my parents gifted me is fast becoming a favourite. Unlike traditional braising methods, you don't have to wait hours for delicious, melt-in-your-mouth meat. It's a kitchen item that I would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat!

Paired with the pickled cucumber and a bowl of hot steamed rice, it is a delicious meal that won't take too much time out of your day. 

Tell me, dear reader, what is your favourite kitchen tool and what is your go-to quick dinner meal?

Chinese Braised Pork Ribs and Pickled Cucumber
A Lucyeats original

Ingredients:

Braised Pork:

2 Tbs vegetable oil
750g thick cut short ribs
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
2 star anise
1 stick cinnamon, roughly broken up
10 whole black peppercorns
1 Tbs crushed rock sugar
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 cups water

Pickled Cucumber:
1 tele cucumber, sliced or diced into bite sized pieces
2 1/2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 medium sized fresh red chili

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and sear the ribs on all sides. Do this in batches, if required. Remove the ribs to a separate bowl.
2. Add Shaoxing wine to de-glaze the bottom of the pot. Use a spatula to remove any bits stuck to the bottom.
3. Return the pork and add the remaining ingredients. 
4. Lock the lid to the pressure cooker and cook on high until pressure is reached.
5. Turn the heat to low and cooker for a further 20 minutes.
6. Make your pickled cucumber by combining all the pickled cucumber ingredients together and chill in the fridge while you wait for your pork to cook.