pickled chili peppers

After washing the chili peppers, air-dry them until the skin slightly wrinkles (the picture shows the chili peppers just washed and waiting to air-dry).

Put an appropriate amount of water in a pot, add 2 bay leaves, 1 star anise, 1 tablespoon of Sichuan peppercorns, and 1/2 tablespoon of fennel seeds. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 20 minutes to let the ingredients release their flavor. Strain out the solids, then add sea salt, one tablespoon at a time, stirring as you add until it dissolves. Continue adding until it can no longer dissolve and becomes saturated. Let the pickled chili water cool.

After cleaning the container and drying it inside, put 2 big spoons of Erguotou in it, then tightly close the bottle, turn it over and roll it so that the strong liquor can wet the walls of the bottle to disinfect it.

At this time, the inside of the bottle is a bit 'wet.' Do not wipe it with a cloth or paper, because even a clean cloth or paper cannot compare to the bottle walls disinfected with strong liquor. Place the chili peppers into the bottle one by one until they feel crowded. If one bottle is not enough, use another. If you are only pickling one bottle, the extra chili peppers can be used as an ingredient for other dishes.

Pour in the cooled pickled chili water. To prevent the parts of the chili that float from not being soaked in the brine and rotting, place a paper towel or a toy on top of the chilies. When you close the lid, the chilies will be pressed down into the brine.

Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bottle opening before screwing on the cap. There will be a layer of plastic wrap between the bottle neck and the cap, which makes it easier to open later. Pickled chilies release salty water, which can easily cause the bottle cap to rust, making it difficult to open. Friends with poor memory can also write the date on a label. In my experience, once the chilies change to a darker color, pickling for another two to three days is enough, with a total time of about 20–25 days. It’s hard to say exactly, because everyone’s living environment and ingredients are different. The key is to pickle until the chilies change color. When pickling chili peppers, there is no need to refrigerate them; room temperature is fine.