Tianjin Preserved Vegetables

[jobean]

I love these chinese preserved vegetables, the kind used in mui choy with pork belly and would like to try preserving some with fresh grown vegetables. Does anyone know how to preserve cabbage like the tianjin preserved vegetable?

Edited October 19, 2010 by jobean (log)

[Ritty]

Nothing about this in The Joy of Pickling, but from what Wikipedia says, it sounds like it should be easy to make, possibly similar to Chinese cabbage sauerkraut with the addition of ginger. I might tweak it with fish sauce and garlic, but it would become a little like kimchi. I hope someone who has made it or at least had it can help you more than me.

[janeer]

I have never made it but use it all the time; isn't it all about the salt? Sort of like preserved lemons.

[jobean]

Don't seem to get that texture when I've salted cabbage before, lots of water too. More like kimchi or pickles. Found this, but sounds complicated.

[janeer]

Well, the drying part is relatively easy, but it doesn't say how you ferment it.

[poppalarge]

I've been trying to find this. Is "vegetable" a specific vegetable? What brands should I be looking for?

[rarerollingobject]

I've seen things packaged as Tianjin PV that ended up being, variously, mustard greens, mustard tuber, or cabbage. I consider the cabbage the 'proper' TPV. I've seen them in both vacuum packs (not to be confused with the 'normal' preserved mustard greens) or more commonly, earthenware pots. I always go for the earthenware pot kind, like shown in the top row here.

[poppalarge]

Thanks, I'll take a look tomorrow.

[Will]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianjin_preserved_vegetable

[jo-mel]

I love those little eathenware pots! I use them as pencil holders, for plants, and I have a stack of them that I just can't throw away!

[Will]

BTW, a lot of recipes mention this, but it should be rinsed before using.

[ojisan]

It wouldn't occur to me to want to make my own. At $2.19 for 600 gr., and includes the folksy crock, and how much of this stuff can you eat?

As far as which kind of veg, the label on mine says "Tiensin Cabbage". The brand I used to buy was Great Wall, but I think they just changed the name because the crock and the preserved veg looks just the same, but without the "Great Wall" name molded onto the crock.

[BaconFat]

BTW, a lot of recipes mention this, but it should be rinsed before using.

Curious. I frequently cook with this ingredient and have yet to rinse it as none of the recipes call for rinsing. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I don't notice any adverse saltiness when I cook/use TPV's.