Every summer, my father makes these cold, crispy, and pungent pickles that pair so well with hot rice. I call them "chinese pickles" because there's really no name for them, and their ingredients lend traditional Chinese flavors. Something I really admire about my father as a cook is that he manages to produce delicious dishes without ever following recipes; he simply goes about liberally, adding and tasting. These pickles are made just like that. A swish of soy sauce and vinegar here, a sprinkling of five-spice powder and garlic there - it's all up to the maker's tastebuds. Mix the cucumbers every once a while to not only ensure that all cucumbers get soaked in the solution, but also to prevent the bottom ones from becoming too saturated and sour.
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| Cucumbers, all chopped up. |
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| Soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, 5-spice powder, garlic. |
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| After a day of mixing and soaking...and eating! |
This post is dedicated to my father in acknowledgement of all the wonderful things he has taught me and provided me, which include an insatiable appetite and borderline-obsession with food.
To all the papas out there: Happy father's day! :) *
*In Taiwan, Father's Day is August 8 because 8/8 is pronounced "ba ba" in Chinese, which is coincidentally the same sound as "father". Being Taiwanese, we always celebrate Father's Day on 8/8!
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