zha cai
{{short description|Pickled mustard plant stem from Chongqing, China}}
{{Italic title}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox Chinese|pic=TwoHeadsZhacai.jpg|picsize=210px|piccap=Whole heads of zha cai coated in chili paste|c=榨菜|w=cha4 ts'ai4|p=zhà cài|j=zaa3 coi3|poj=chà-chhài|wuu={{IPA|wuu|tsɤ tsʰɛ|}}|showflag=p}}
Zha cai ({{IPAc-cmn|zh|a|4|-|c|ai|4}}; {{lang|zh|榨菜}}), also romanized as Cha tsai, is a type of pickled mustard plant stem originating from Chongqing, China. The name may also be written in English as cha tsai, tsa tsai, jar choy, jar choi, ja choi, ja choy, or cha tsoi. In English, it is commonly known as Sichuan vegetable, Szechwan vegetable, or Chinese pickled vegetable, although all of these terms may also refer to any of a number of other Chinese pickles, including the several other types in the Sichuan province itself.
[http://makantime.com/ingredientguide/zhacai.htm Pictures and more descriptions of zha cai]
Production
The pickle is made from the knobbly, fist-sized, swollen green stem of Brassica juncea, subspecies tsatsai. The stem is first salted and pressed, and dried before being rubbed with hot red chili paste and allowed to ferment in an earthenware jar.{{Cite web |title=Zha Cai {{!}} Local Condiment From Sichuan |url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/zha-cai |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024091926/https://www.tasteatlas.com/zha-cai |archive-date=2022-10-24 |website=TasteAtlas}}
Flavour
The taste is a combination of spicy, sour, and salty. Its unique texture—crunchy, yet tender—can only be vaguely compared to Western pickled cucumbers. Excess salt in the preserved vegetable is leached out by soaking in fresh water. Considered to be rich in umami, zha cai varies in spiciness depending on the amount of chili paste used in preparation.{{Cite web |last=Karen Yuan |date=2021-09-14 |title=Dear Pickle People, Zha Cai Should Be Your Favorite Condiment |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/zha-cai |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Bon Appétit |language=en-US}}
Uses
Originating in Sichuan and believed to be one of the world's oldest types of pickles,{{Cite web |last1=Dr Q.V. Nguyen |last2=Peter Core |date=September 2000 |title=Pickled and Dried Asian Vegetables (page vii) |url=https://www.agrifutures.com.au/wp-content/uploads/publications/00-045.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009012921/https://www.agrifutures.com.au/wp-content/uploads/publications/00-045.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |website=AgriFutures Australia|author2-link=Peter Core }} zha cai is used in many of the various cuisines of China such as in Sichuan dan dan noodles,{{Cite news |last=Katie Workman |date=2018-01-09 |title=COOKING ON DEADLINE: Dan Dan Noodles |language=en |work=National Post |url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/life-pmn/cooking-on-deadline-dan-dan-noodles |access-date=2022-10-25}} in soups with ground pork and mifen, and as a condiment for rice congee.{{Cite web |last1=Marion |first1=Jane |last2=Cohen |first2=Lauren |last3=Hong |first3=Henry |last4=Unger |first4=Mike |last5=Woolever |first5=Lydia |date=2019-10-07 |title=Eat Global (under the GLOBAL PANTRY section) |url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/fooddrink/global-eats-baltimore-20-ethnic-eateries-to-take-a-culinary-journey-around-the-world/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221025005458/https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/fooddrink/global-eats-baltimore-20-ethnic-eateries-to-take-a-culinary-journey-around-the-world/ |archive-date=2022-10-25 |website=Baltimore Magazine |language=en-US}} It is generally sliced into thin strips and used in small amounts due to its extreme saltiness, although this saltiness can be tempered somewhat by soaking the strips in water prior to use.
A popular Chinese dish featuring zha cai is "noodles with Zha Cai and shredded pork" (榨菜肉絲麵; zhà cài ròusī miàn).{{Cite web |last=航迷老叟 |date=2021-11-03 |title=食譜／家常版榨菜肉絲麵 味濃湯美肉絲嫩滑 |trans-title=Recipe／Home-style mustard and pork noodles |url=https://udn.com/umedia/story/12919/5863734 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111224535/http://udn.com/umedia/story/12919/5863734 |archive-date=2021-11-11 |website=United Daily News |language=Traditional Chinese}} Zha cai is also an ingredient of ci fan tuan, a popular dish in Shanghai cuisine.
In Japan, the pickle is common in Chinese restaurants (though it is usually less spicy, to suit Japanese tastes), and it is transliterated into Japanese as zāsai (katakana: ザーサイ; kanji: 搾菜).
Like other vegetable stems in Chinese cuisines, particularly celtuce, zha cai can also be sliced and sautéed.
Manufacturers
Fuling, a district in Chongqing, is closely associated with zha cai.{{Cite web|url=https://chinafoodingredients.com/2014/05/04/the-most-representative-chinese-pickle-zhacai/|title=The pick of Chinese pickles: Zhacai|date=4 May 2014}} The largest manufacturer, Fuling Zhacai, manufacturers of the Wujiang (乌江, Wu River) brand, is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange{{Cite web|url=https://wj.flzc.com/pages/about-us.html|title=About Us}} and in 2021 celebrated selling 15 billion packets.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210127005338/en/15-Billion-Packets-Sold-Globally-China%E2%80%99s-Wujiang-Now-World-Famous%21|title = 15 Billion Packets Sold Globally, China's Wujiang Now World Famous!|date = 27 January 2021}}
See also
{{Commons category|Brassica juncea subsp. tsatsai var. tumida}}
{{portal|Food}}
- {{annotated link|List of pickled foods}}
- {{annotated link|Ya cai}}
- {{annotated link|Meigan cai}}
- {{annotated link|Pao cai}}
- {{annotated link|Suan cai}}
- {{annotated link|Tianjin preserved vegetable}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.flickr.com/photos/guzhengman/2342173496/ Whole zhacai being sold]
- [http://u.cctv.com/html/video_china/zhongguohaodifang/200906/18-18948.html Zhacai article]{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070902000732/http://www.cq.xinhuanet.com/news/2007-06/06/content_10218375.htm Zhacai making article]
- [http://wenwen.soso.com/z/q136136087.htm Q&A of Zhacai with Brassica juncea var.tumida images]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110718132649/http://www.xtgsxxw.com/Navigation/Detail.aspx?ID=520 Production technique]
- [http://wenda.tianya.cn/wenda/thread?tid=151f5ced73d624c7 Production method]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110707013805/http://www.4ctc.com.cn/2009/0423/276.html Grading and sorting for production]
{{Cantonese cuisine}}
{{Chinese pickles}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zha Cai}}