Soy-Sauce Pickled Chinese Olives (Yan Nin)

Why people make this pickle

Chinese olives (yan nin) only come into season for a short window — about ten-odd days — so when fans of their flavor see them, it’s worth grabbing some to cook with or to pickle as a pre-meal nibble. This batch uses good light soy sauce. The leftover sweet-sour soy syrup is itself a treasure: spoon it over steamed fish or ribs, and yan nin with sweet-sour young ginger steamed with ribs or a big fish head is simply delicious.

Method

1. Wash the olives. Score a cross on the surface of each and lightly bruise them with the back of the knife.
2. Put them in a large bowl, cover with rice vinegar, and soak for 4 hours.
3. Lift out, rinse briefly with cooled boiled water, and drain.
4. Heat the soy sauce with the sugar until dissolved; let it cool completely.
5. Add the olives and chilies, then steep for 3–4 days before eating.

Nourilo’s Tips

The sweet soy syrup the olives have steeped in is a wonderful table condiment — use it to steam fish or ribs. When washing young ginger or yan nin, use cooled boiled (not raw tap) water; this helps the pickle keep longer without molding.