Grandma's Secret Recipe for Pickled Garlic Sprouts: Crispy, Simple, Sour, Sweet, and Lasting for Half a Year
Fresh garlic sprouts are on sale now, green and vibrant, and the price is surprisingly affordable at only 3.5 yuan per kilogram. Garlic sprouts, also known as garlic cloves, are the stems that sprout from garlic bulbs. Every spring, households across the country pickle garlic sprouts as a comforting side dish. They're deliciously sour and sweet, fragrant and crisp. The preparation is remarkably simple – just mix the sauce, and you've already achieved half the success! My grandmother, who lives in a rural area, used to give me a jar of preserved garlic sprouts whenever she made them. She knew how much I loved them. Growing up, I relied on pickled garlic sprouts to get me through those tough 3 years. This little dish is truly amazing!
We have a vegetable patch at home, and we grow garlic every year, not for any other reason than to eat garlic and garlic sprouts. Northern friends know that garlic contains allicin, which has antibacterial and disinfectant properties, stimulates digestion, and accelerates bowel movements, reducing the frequency of hemorrhoids. Therefore, garlic sprouts are a wonderful thing!
Pickled Garlic Sprouts
Ingredients: Garlic sprouts, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns
Seasonings: Salt, light soy sauce, black vinegar
1 Buy 2 kilograms of fresh garlic sprouts, the fresher the better, clean them thoroughly and cut off the ends, then slice into 3 cm pieces.
2 Add a spoonful of salt to the garlic sprouts and mix well, marinate for about 10 hours (approximately an overnight), allowing the garlic sprouts to slowly release their moisture. This extends their preservation time.
3 The key step is to make the sauce. For 2 kilograms of garlic sprouts, add 200 grams of light soy sauce, 200 grams of black vinegar, 40 grams of white sugar, 1 star anise, and 20 Sichuan peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately turn off the heat and let it cool.
4 The glass jar must be dry and oil-free; it's best to pre-sterilize it by boiling in hot water. Place the marinated garlic sprouts in the jar, and do not discard the moisture that has been released.
5 Once the sauce is completely cool, pour it into the jar, and press down with a spoon. Seal the jar tightly and store it in a well-ventilated area. You can eat it the next day.
6 These garlic sprouts are pickled so they are crispy and easy to make, sour and sweet, and especially delicious when paired with a bowl of rice porridge for breakfast.
Tips & Tricks
Maintain a dry, oil-free environment, and adjust the sugar-vinegar-salt ratio to your liking.
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