People in Northeast China should eat pickled cabbage during the New Year

Prepare a large glass jar, wash it clean, drain the water, wash and shred the cabbage, and put it into the glass jar, making sure that the cutting board and knife used for shredding are clean and free of oil.

Fill the shredded cabbage, press a piece of cabbage stem on top to cover the shredded cabbage, add an appropriate amount of salt (this is not pickling, so don’t add too much, just a little to prevent it from fermenting too quickly and becoming too sour), then add two cloves of garlic to prevent mold, and then add 3 slices of vitamin C (this is my secret weapon, used to trigger the fermentation)

Slowly pour in the cooled boiled water, then place a clean small bowl on top. The diameter of the bowl is about the same as the mouth of the glass bottle. Mine is a bit larger than the bottle opening, but it doesn't matter.

Pour some water into the small bowl to increase the following weight, seal the bottle mouth with plastic wrap, and wrap it together with the small bowl.

Place the glass bottle on a deep plate, press down on the small bowl with your hand, and observe how the water inside rises, making sure it does not overflow from the bottle's mouth. Put it on the windowsill and check it every day. The small bowl will gradually sink, and the water level will slowly rise. At first, a small amount of water may come out of the bottle; clean the water in the plate promptly, otherwise there will be a smell in the room, especially from fermented water, which has a strong odor. After fermentation is complete, water will no longer overflow. When the water level is below the cabbage, add water in a timely manner, using cooled boiled water.

I also used a small kimchi jar to pickle a batch, and it can only be eaten after 30 days. This is a good way to avoid excessive nitrites, but it is still not recommended to eat pickled products frequently—just enjoy them during the New Year to satisfy cravings. Making dumplings or stewing ribs with it is very delicious.