Heishui Pickled Vegetables

Heishui Pickled Vegetables

　　Heishui pickled vegetables are a specialty of Heishui County in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. They are among the most commonly used dishes in the Heishui region. With a well-balanced acidity, they can be stir-fried or more often used to cook cornmeal soup or wheat dough pieces. Adding mashed garlic, chili powder, and Sichuan peppercorn to the pickled vegetable soup enhances the flavor even more.

　　Method for making Heishui pickled vegetables: The main ingredients include yuan root leaves, radish leaves, Chinese cabbage, and lotus cabbage, among which those made from yuan root are considered the best. Wash the yuan root leaves, boil them in a pot, and let them cool to slightly warm. Then place them in a wooden barrel, mix with boiled thin cornmeal soup, cover, and keep them near the hearth to maintain a constant temperature for fermentation. They are ready to eat in about three days during summer and autumn, or six to seven days in winter and spring.

　　Flavor characteristics of Heishui pickled vegetables: They have a mildly sour taste. Eating them leaves the stomach feeling comfortable and refreshed, and may help prevent illness.

　　Pickled vegetable dough pieces are a deeply traditional and authentic Tibetan dish beloved by the local people of Heishui County, as well as a highly favored meal among visiting tourists.