Jiuzhaigou Pickled Vegetables

Jiuzhaigou Pickled Vegetables

　　Jiuzhaigou pickled vegetables are a specialty of Jiuzhaigou County in the Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Pickled vegetables are well-known throughout Jiuzhaigou—almost every household makes them, everyone loves to eat them, and they have become a hallmark of the local diet.

　　When spring arrives and flowers bloom, people begin busy making these pickles, with the most produced during summer and autumn, and slightly fewer in winter. The method of making them is quite simple—the main ingredients are vegetables (such as Chinese cabbage, turnip, mustard greens, and lettuce), which are chopped into small pieces and placed in a large pot. Water is added to submerge the vegetables, and a proportionate amount of corn flour is mixed in before cooking. Once the vegetables are about three-quarters cooked, they are removed, cooled, then packed into jars or wooden containers, covered with cold water, sealed, and stored in a cool place. After about a week, they turn into delicious, crisp pickled vegetables. In Jiuzhaigou, especially among the Tibetan community, almost everyone knows how to make them—and they do it very well.

　　Especially when visiting a Tibetan home in Jiuzhaigou, the host will usually serve you a bowl of pickled vegetable soup, as it is both convenient and time-saving, ready to be served in no time. On festive occasions such as weddings or funerals, this soup is often the final dish served at the banquet.

　　Pickled vegetables are not only a beloved food in Jiuzhaigou, but also offer unexpected health benefits:

　　(1) They help enhance flavor and stimulate appetite;

　　(2) They promote better circulation of bodily fluids and induce sweating. Many people who consume hot pickled vegetable soup end up with flushed faces or sweaty bodies, helping to prevent colds;

　　(3) They boost gastric acid secretion, aiding digestion;

　　(4) For those who enjoy drinking alcohol, pickled vegetables can serve as an excellent remedy for sobering up and protecting the liver.