Description
New garlic bulbs pickled whole (with inner skins) in massive amounts of sugar (or brown sugar) and vinegar for months. The harsh heat and pungent odor completely vanish, leaving a crisp, apple-like crunchy texture and fruity sweet-sourness.
Restaurants serving Tang Suan (Sweet Pickled Garlic)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- New Garlic(Whole)
- Vinegar(Rice or Black)
- Sugar(massive)
- Salt
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Procure highly juicy 'new garlic' harvested in spring. Peel only the dirty outer layers, leaving 1-
- thin inner skins intact, and wash whole (or in cloves).
- Soak in salt water for days to aggressively extract the harsh, burning heat and bitterness.
- Dry completely and pack into a glass jar.
- Boil vinegar (rice or black), massive sugar (white or rock), a pinch of salt, and water to make a 'Sweet Vinegar Syrup'. Cool completely.
- Pour the cooled syrup into the jar, seal, and age in a dark, cool place for
- to 6+ months.
- Done when the garlic turns a translucent amber (or white) and the heat is replaced by a sweet-sour fruitiness.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Mellow sweet-sourness of sugar and vinegar
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Pickled Rakkyo (very similar texture and taste)
Pairing
Beijing Hot Pot (Mutton Shabu-shabu) / Lamb Skewers
Trivia
[Trivia] The stomach-burning irritation of raw garlic transforms into 'overwhelming sweetness' through fermentation and aging. You can eat massive amounts without stomach pain, and astonishingly, it leaves almost no garlic breath.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Peel the skin and crunch the white cloves whole, exactly like eating a 'snack' or 'fruit'. It is the absolute mandatory palate cleanser for Beijing Mutton Shabu-shabu (Shuan Yang Rou).
Allergen
None