Cu Kieu (Sweet and Sour Pickled Scallion Bulbs), No Added Refined Sugar
Vietnamese dishesPickled VegetablesSouthern Vietnam73 hours in total
Cu kieu ngam chua ngot comes down to three things: cleaning the bulbs, wilting them and mixing a balanced pickling liquid. A good jar is white, thoroughly crisp, gently sour and fragrant with rice vinegar. The main risk is bulbs turning limp or growing a film, all because of water left behind.
After their salt soak the bulbs have to drain completely, and the jar and lid have to be entirely dry. Heat the pickling liquid only to 80 to 90 degrees C to dissolve everything, then cool it fully, since pouring it in warm cooks the bulbs and costs the crunch.
This batch weighs about 1kg, at roughly 21 calories per 100g.
Method
Trim the roots from 400g scallion bulbs, cut the tops back to 2 to 3cm, peel off the older outer layer and wash them several times.
Dry them in mild sun for 2 to 4 hours, or in an airy spot for 6 to 8 hours, until slightly wilted.
Mix 1 liter water with 1.5 tablespoons salt and soak the bulbs for 8 to 12 hours or overnight, rinse them quickly once or twice, then drain thoroughly.
Put 200ml rice vinegar, 200ml water and 180 to 200g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend in a pot and heat gently at 80 to 90 degrees C until everything dissolves, then turn off the heat and cool it completely.
Pack the bulbs into a clean, dry glass jar, pour in the liquid to cover them and add 1 to 2 fresh chilies if you like.
Seal the jar and keep it somewhere cool. It is ready after 2 to 3 days.
Tips
Choose smallish bulbs that are white and firm, with fresh, unbruised roots, which pickle up crisp.
Use rice vinegar or a naturally fermented vinegar for a gentle, fragrant sourness, since industrial vinegar smells harsh.
kOBE Monk Fruit Blend dissolves slowly, so stir it thoroughly in the pot and check the base again once the liquid has cooled.
The jar and lid have to be absolutely dry, as a single drop of tap water is enough to bring on a film.
Use a bamboo mat or a small bag of water to keep the bulbs under the liquid, since anything above the surface darkens.
Use clean, dry chopsticks each time, because chopsticks carrying other food spoil the jar quickly.
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The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.