Fuling district, Chongqing — 19th century origin, now industrial scale
Sichuan's iconic preserved mustard stem tuber (kohlrabi-like vegetable), salted, pressed, and fermented with chilli and Sichuan pepper. The Fuling Zha Cai from Chongqing's Fuling district is the prestige version. Used as a condiment, added to soups, rice porridge, noodles, and stir-fries. Small red packets of Fuling Zha Cai are ubiquitous on Chinese transport and in pantries.
Sour-salty-spicy-crunchy; the Sichuan pepper gives a background tingle; texturally crunchy against soft noodles or rice
{"Made from the swollen stem of a specific mustard variety (jiecai) — not available fresh outside production areas","Processing: salt-rub, sun-drying, pressing under weights, then fermentation with chilli and spices in clay urns","Rinse before use — salinity is very high direct from packaging","Cut into thin strips or brunoise for most applications"}
{"Best application: thin strips in dan dan mian, fine dice in wonton broth, whole slices in congee","Fuling Zha Cai brand in small red vacuum packs is the benchmark — available in all Asian supermarkets","The brine from zha cai packets can be used to season stir-fries or marinades — complex, sour-savoury"}
{"Not rinsing before use — over-salinity overwhelms dishes","Substituting regular kimchi or pickled cabbage — texture and flavour completely different","Overpowering delicate dishes — zha cai is potent, use sparingly"}
Land of Plenty — Fuchsia Dunlop