Wednesday 6 May 2020

Covid-19 MCO : Day #50 (Pickled Green Chilies)


It is day number five oh already and to those of us who have returned to work/reopened for business, it feels like things are back to almost normal except for the face masks, temperature screening and social distancing at public places.

I worked on Monday and Tuesday. Monday not surprisingly did not feel toxic at all (I had expected double or triple dose of Monday blues). There was a lot to do and I was fully focused from the time I got in until time to go home. It left me mentally exhausted. By the time I got home, I was totally pooped.

Today I am staying home because I felt rather alarmed at the number of cars and people that I saw over the last two days. We are not safe yet from the Covid-19 virus and the almost back to normal activities around us pose as a health hazard. But next Monday, I will be back to work again as I still have many things to do. 


This morning I ordered some vegetables from the TTDI market via Grabmart. Online marketing is the way to go (where possible) since many people fail to observe social distancing at supermarkets (my observation lah).

Among the items I purchased were 4 packets of green chilies. I could not get these from Jaya Grocer.


That's right, I wanted to make pickled green chilies. It is my favorite condiment when I eat wanton mee or wat tan hor and when I dine at Chinese restaurants.


Whenever I eat wanton mee at Annie 1 (which feels like centuries ago!), I will always load up on the pickled green chilies.


When making pickled green chilies, you must use rice vinegar or if you absolutely cannot find rice vinegar, then distilled vinegar is the next alternative. Don't use apple cider vinegar. The taste will be different.


I have been using this brand for as long as I can remember.


I washed, dried and sliced up all the green chilies. Put into a glass container because I will be pouring the pickling liquid into it.


The pickling liquid is made up of rice vinegar, sugar and salt.  The amount of sugar and salt is a matter of personal preference. Adjust to your own taste.

The way I do the pickling process is that I boil the pickling liquid and pour the boiling liquid into the container of chilies.

I noted that most recipes do not call for the boiling of the liquid. The reason why I boil it is because it speeds up the pickling process and you can practically eat the pickled chilies within an hour.


Just leave it to cool before you transfer the pickled chilies into containers for storage in the fridge.


The color of the chilies will change from bright green to this...


...within 30 minutes and then....


...to this familiar color. You can eat this right away and store the rest in glass jars.


I made a whole lot of pickled chilies. My jars are 300ml capacity and I managed to fill up two bottles plus one more which was 1/3 full.


I eat this as a condiment with my slimming food - steamed food heh..heh...


Today's lunch of steamed broccoli, chicken fillet and ginger strips. 


I like to drizzle some oyster sauce onto the broccoli, heap the marinated chicken fillet on top with some ginger strips and steam for about 8 minutes.


I have forgotten how good this tastes! I haven't steamed food like this in a long time.

I will share the recipe for pickled green chilies just in case anybody wants to make. Halve the recipe if you don't want to make so much.

Pickled Green Chilies
Recipe source : PH

Note : Halve the recipe for a smaller batch

Ingredients :

- 400g green chilies (about 19 chilies)
- 500ml rice vinegar (I used Narcissus brand)
- 5 tbsp sugar (or to your own taste)
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to your own taste)

Method :
1. Wash, dry and slice chilies. Put into a non-reactive container like glass or ceramic. Set aside.
2. Put vinegar, sugar and salt into a stainless steel/glass/ceramic saucepan.
3. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt (taste to adjust the balance of sweet, sour and salty). Then bring to a boil.
4. Pour the boiling liquid into the container of cut chilies. Ensure that chilies are immersed in the liquid.
5. Leave to cool completely before transferring into glass containers for storage in the fridge.

29 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing on how to pickle green chilies, i learned something today.

    I like to steam broccoli to eat them too but i use roasted sesame dressing. Oyster sauce will be nice too, maybe next time i will try with oyster sauce too. Oh ya hor, can add in some chicken fillets or chicken breast meat.

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    Replies
    1. I used to eat like that a long time ago and I lost weight without even trying. LOL!

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  2. They give the pickled green chilies with kolo mee in Kuching too but these days, most will just give red, more easily available, maybe.

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    Replies
    1. Most shops are quite stingy with it.

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  3. Hello stranger....
    Good to see you're still very much active on your blog. I've been lazy...
    Anyway, this caught my eye (yes, I still hv eyes on u) hehe... Dad loves this and always complains the hawkers are so kiamsiap with the pickled chillies. I shall make this. He will be pleased to hv it anytime and as much as he wants.
    Take care PH. Catch u again soon. Tnx for this...

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    Replies
    1. Hello Ping! It has been ages! Very true what your Dad said. Make for him, he will be very happy.

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  4. You should move your office to your house permanently as you don't really need to wait for walk-in clients. This Uptown was busy on Monday because of my car. I will drive around Uptown everyday. Heheheheh!

    I love this green chilies very much and always scooped like 2 full saucers at Annie-1 for myself! When I tapao food home, the specky manager with hairy hands would tambah chilies on his own for me. As if I look like a Green Chabai to him! Haiks! Thanks for the easy recipe. I will make them this week because you will not give me your extra bottle no matter how I beg you on my knees!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I can't work at home, I need it to be separated or else I will have no sanctuary to escape to. I wonder if I would catch a glimpse of you at Uptown!

      I Like Annie 1 because they let us help ourselves to their green chilies hee..hee..

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  5. Oh, I didn't know that need to boil the vinegar. Did the boiling vinegar release any sourish smell? If Girl Girl smells boiling vinegar, I wonder she will like it or not like it. Enjoy the public holiday tomorrow! No photos of Girl Girl today. Miss her! Thanks for continuing your mco daily post despite going back to the office to work!

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    Replies
    1. Actually no need to boil also can. The sourish smell become quite strong and made me cough!

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  6. Whoa, that's a lot of pickled chillies! ;) I love pickled chillies too but won't be pickling any at home coz I know the amount of sugar that goes into pickling. I'll just eat the small amounts I get when I have wantan mee and wat tan hor. I didn't know that there's Narcissus rice vinegar, all I know is Narcissus stewed pork! :D What can you use rice vinegar (same as rice wine vinegar?) for other than pickling?

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    Replies
    1. There has got to be more sugar or else it is all flat and sour. Rice vinegar can be used for oriental style salad dressings.

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  7. Wahhhh! I love, love, love cili jeruk.
    But never bother making them myself.

    Maybe I should try lah. Thanks for the inspiration, PH!

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  8. ooo, i like the pics showing how the pickled chillies change in colour, from before to after - that would be enough pickled chillies to last me for ten years (since i don't like pickled chillies, heheh) :D i'm actually still working from home, so i haven't left my condo compound yet and have no idea what it's really like out there in the real world!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh! Then this recipe is not for you then hee..hee.. Wah! You are really confined to your condo.

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  9. Never make chilli pickles at home. The kids dont take and hubby and I also dobt eat that much. But does sound easy to make.

    We are still on MCO here till 12 May. So, not many cars on the road when I went out yesterday morning to buy some meats and food supplies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The MCO does not feel like MCO at all here.

      Delete
  10. I love pickled green chilies whenever I eat wanton noodles and chee cheong fun. Good idea to go with steamed food too. I want to pickle green chilies too but first have to buy the green chilies first. Thank you for the recipe.

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  11. Wow..that is a lot but then I am sure they finished fast too, considering they are so well pickled! Definitely goes well with wanton noodles and wat tan hor!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, next time when I go out to eat, I must bring in my handbag. LOL!

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  12. Acı biber ve spagetti çok severim. Bende mümkün olduğunca online sipariş veriyorum.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spagetti yerken biber biber serpmeyi severim.

      Delete
  13. I don't know since when I'm not eating any green chili pickle :P

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  14. Ohhh ingat apa jenis cuka pun boleh LL... Tak boleh ek! I mmg jarang buat cili jeruk ni...
    Menarik pulak tengok u masak steam brocoli dengan chiken tu, semalam I masak jugak brocoli tapi celur je tak terfikir nak buat mcm ni

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    Replies
    1. Makan stim2 macam ni berat badan boleh turun tau! heh..heh...

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  15. I made this yesterday and now it's already half gone. I'll never have to complain about having not enough of it now....just have to make a lot of it! Some store bought ones are quite disgustingly mushy. Tq for this. Simple pleasures...

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