Tujia Pickled Green Beans

Tujia Pickled Green Beans

　　Pickled green beans are a type of pickle, perfect as a side dish or served with rice—they make a great appetizer.

　　1. The pickling jar must be thoroughly cleaned and dried;

　　2. All containers and ingredients must be completely oil-free, including the chopsticks used to retrieve the beans later—otherwise mold can grow and spoil the brine;

　　3. Use just enough salt to make the brine slightly saltier than usual;

　　4. Choose tender yet firm green beans without obvious seeds—otherwise the pickled beans won’t be crisp;

　　5. Regularly check and refill the water in the jar’s rim as needed, keeping it clean at all times;

　　6. Using bottled wild chili peppers and their juice can speed up fermentation, similar to the effect of aged brine—this step is optional, but omitting it will slow down the pickling process.