Chef's Recipes

Kylie Kwong: Goong Goong's pickles

Australian Gourmet Traveller Chinese recipe for Goong Goong's pickles by Kylie Kwong.

By Kylie Kwong
  • Serves 12
  • Print
    Print
Goong Goong's pickles
"This recipe comes from my mother's father (my grandfather), Goong Goong. These dynamic, delicious pickles remind me a little of an Italian giardiniera. Straight from the jar, they're perfect served as an appetiser or palate awakener, or finely sliced they can be added to a salad or thrown into a stir-fry to add body and complexity." - Kylie Kwong
You will need to prepare these pickles 4-5 days ahead of time. This recipe makes 2.5 kg.

Ingredients

  • 750 gm cabbage, core removed
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber
  • 2 carrots, peeled
  • 1 white radish (daikon), peeled
  • 1 bunch radish, trimmed and halved lengthways (about 8)
  • 1/4 cup sea salt
  • 1.5 litres white vinegar (6 cups)
  • 495 gm white sugar (2¼ cups)
  • 60ml light soy sauce (¼ cup)
  • 1 tsp chilli oil

Method

Main
  • 1
    Cut cabbage into 5cm x 2cm pieces and separate leaves. Halve cucumber and carrots lengthways, then cut into 7cm x 1cm pieces. Halve white radish lengthways and cut into 3cm x 2cm pieces.
  • 2
    Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and mix well to combine, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • 3
    Combine vinegar and sugar in a heavy-based non-reactive saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer uncovered, without stirring, for 30 minutes, or until reduced by one-third and slightly syrupy. Cool, then refrigerate overnight.
  • 4
    Pour cooled syrup over vegetables, add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days to allow flavours to develop. Pickles will keep refrigerated for several months.
SHAREPIN
  • undefined: Kylie Kwong