chayote squash is a pear shaped edible fruit (squashes are technically fruits, but they are cultivated as vegetables) with mild flavor and crisp texture. it can be eaten raw or cooked, with or without skin. pickled vegetables in soy sauce are very popular side dishes in korea. soy pickled chayote is super easy to make and you only need (5) ingredients.
soy pickled chayote (chayote jarng-ah-jji)
ingredients:
(1) firm and blemish free chayote
for soy pickle brine:
(1/2) cup soy sauce
(1/2) cup sugar
(1/2) cup vinegar
(1/2) cup water
- soy sauce : sugar : vinegar : water ratio = 1 : 1 : 1 : 1
- this is the basic soy pickle brine and you can use this for soy pickled chives, and other vegetables. e.g. onions, radish, perilla leaves.
directions:
1. wear plastic sanitary gloves or rubber gloves, and peel the skin of chayote with a peeler. chayote exudes a slimy sap when peeled and it can irritate your skin. rinse the peeled chayote under cold running water.
2. cut the chayote in half, lengthwise, then cut into thin slices, crosswise.
3. pack the sliced chayote into a sterilized glass jar.
- there are a number of ways to sterilize a canning jar - you can submerge the jar and the lid in a boiling water bath for 10 min., use pressure canner or dishwasher with sanitize cycle etc.
- if you want some spicy kick, you can add some hot pepper slices.
4. in a small pot, combine (1/2) cup soy sauce, (1/2) cup sugar, (1/2) cup vinegar, and (1/2) cup water and slowly bring to a boil on medium heat. turn off the heat and let it cool for a few min. pour the brine directly into the jar. the brine may still be hot, so be careful.
5. let it cool at room temperature and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before serving. if you want any soy pickled vegetables to last longer, drain the brine, bring to a boil again and pour it back to the jar.
yield: (1) 20 fl. oz. jar