Sichuan Paocai (Infinite Pickle Jar)

Paocai (泡菜), literally meaning “soaked vegetables” in Chinese, is a traditional Sichuanese pickle made through lacto-fermentation. Paocai is deeply rooted in Sichuan cuisine, prized for its versatility as both a side dish and ingredient. Unlike many other fermented pickles, paocai reuses a starter brine, which serves as a living ecosystem of beneficial bacteria and flavors that deepen with each batch. Once established, this brine can be used indefinitely, earning it the nickname “infinite pickle jar”.

Ingredients

• Water – The base of Sichuan paocai brine starts with water. Traditionally, boiled, and cooled water is used since tap water isn’t suitable for drinking in Sichuan. Filtered water also works well. If you accidentally use tap water no need to worry, the amount of chlorine is not significant enough to stop the pickles from fermenting, it may just be slower to start.
• Vegetables – The fuel for fermentation. Vegetables act as prebiotics, providing nourishment for the beneficial bacteria that drive the fermentation process. More on selecting vegetables in the next section below.
• Spices – I call for Sichuan peppercorns and star anise for a traditional paocai flavor. Feel free to omit or substitute with any dry spices you enjoy.
• Sugar – Sugar isn’t a requirement for the vegetables to ferment, it’s simply just for seasoning. Much like salt, a touch of sugar can enhance the natural flavor in the vegetables you’re fermenting.
• Salt – Salt is critical for discouraging growth of harmful bacteria while letting beneficial bacteria flourish. I’ve seen Sichuan paocai made successfully with many types of salt— sea salt, kosher salt, and even iodized salt. I use kosher salt in all my recipes, though some Sichuanese people will argue well salt from Zigong provides the best flavor.

How to select vegetables

Choosing the right vegetables is crucial for creating and maintaining paocai. Some vegetables fare better than others, especially when starting a brand new jar. Generally, I prioritize sturdy vegetables with lower water content to retain their texture and establish a strong population of lactobacillus bacteria. I’ll save cucumbers, watermelon rinds, and other higher water content ingredients for the second batch and onwards. Feel free to combine a variety of vegetables in one jar based on your preferences.

Vegetables to ferment:

• Napa Cabbage
  • Preparation: Separate leaves, wash thoroughly, and cut into 2–3 inch pieces.
• Ginger
  • Preparation: Wash thoroughly and break into segments to fit in mouth of jar.
• Cabbage
  • Preparation: Wash thoroughly and cut into bite-sized chunks.
• Carrots, Daikon, Radish
  • Preparation: Peel, wash, and cut into thin sticks, rounds or segments.
• Cauliflower
  • Preparation: Wash, remove thin leaves, and cut into bite-sized florets. Cut stalks into sticks.
• Broccoli Stalks
  • Preparation: Wash and cut into sticks.
• Mustard Greens
  • Preparation: Wash, trim tough stems, and cut into large pieces or break into individual leaves. I prefer to let these wilt in the sun for a day or two so they become pliable enough to shove through the mouth of the jar.
• Long Beans
  • Preparation: Wash, trim ends, and tie into a knot to keep beans together.
• Celery Stems
  • Preparation: Wash, peel fibrous outer layer if desired, and cut into 2–3 inch sticks.
• Lotus Root
  • Preparation: Peel, wash, and slice into thin rounds.
• Garlic Cloves
  • Preparation: Peel and leave whole.
• Bamboo Shoots
  • Preparation: Parboil for 10 minutes to remove bitterness, then cut into slices or strips.

Vegetables to avoid:

• Leafy Greens (e.g., spinach, lettuce, kale, etc.)
  • Too delicate and will turn mushy during fermentation.
• Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes
  • High starch content can cause cloudiness and undesired fermentation by-products.
• Zucchini or Summer Squash
  • High water content makes them too soft and prone to spoiling.
• Eggplant
  • Tends to absorb too much brine and lose structure, becoming mushy.

How long to ferment vegetables

The fermentation time for Sichuan paocai can vary depending on the vegetables you use, the size of vegetables, the temperature of your environment, and your desired flavor. The first batch of paocai will take a few days longer than subsequent batches as the bacteria begin to populate. As a general guide:

洗澡 “Shower” Quick Pickles (2–3 days):

• Ideal for vegetables like celtuce, radishes, or cabbage.
• Produces a milder tang while maintaining crisp textures. Ideal for eating as-is.
• Often called “shower” pickles since they only take a quick dip in the brine.

Standard Fermentation (5–7 days):

• Works well for vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, and celery.
• Results in a balanced tanginess and a more complex flavor.

老坛 “Old Jar” Long Fermentation (7–14 days or more):

• Best for sturdy vegetables like bamboo shoots, mustard greens, and ginger.
• Creates deep, sour notes with a softer texture. Ideal for cooking.

Fermentation will go faster in the summer months, so the best practice is to taste as you go. A ferment is generally considered safely completed when it reaches a pH of 4.6 or lower.

Selecting a paocai jar

Selecting the right container is essential for successful fermentation. The lactobacillus bacteria responsible for transforming vegetables into paocai thrive in an environment without oxygen.

The traditional shape of a Sichuan pickle jar has a narrow opening with a moat and lid. The moat is filled with water to form a seal preventing air from entering the pickle jar while allowing CO2 within the jar to “burp” out. It’s important to choose a non-reactive material like glass or ceramic to ensure the fermented product retains its intended flavor.

• Glass water seal jars – A modern option that’s easy to clean and allows you to observe the fermentation process. That said, older pickle brines will often have some sediment or cloudiness that isn’t so exciting to look at. In the summer months I’ll tent a plastic bag over the water moat to slow evaporation.
• Clay or ceramic water seal jars – Clay and ceramic crocks prevent light exposure with a sleek and classic look, though you’ll have to open the jar to observe your progress.
• Wide-mouth jar with airlock – Popular for making sauerkraut and other fermented products, these work well for keeping air out of the paocai.
• Fermentation weights – An optional but helpful tool for keeping vegetables submerged in brine and free of oxygen.

I like using a 2.5L glass jar with a deep water moat that will stay sealed for a couple of weeks. The exact model I used is available here on Amazon.

General rules for fermenting paocai

1. Cleanliness is key – Since we’re essentially growing bacteria, it’s critical to maintain a clean environment so we cultivate only the good kind. Wash your vegetables to remove visible dirt and trim off blemishes. Clean your container, utensils, and fermentation weights with hot, soapy water before use. Complete pressure sterilization isn’t necessary since the lactic acid bacteria can outcompete other growths as they multiply. Contaminating the pickle jar with oil will lead to spoilage.
2. Don’t let air in (but do let it out) – Lactic acid bacteria thrive in an anaerobic environment, so make sure all vegetables are fully submerged in brine. The seal on the container is also critical, so make sure to top up the moat of water if it’s beginning to dry up. Letting air out is also important, since the buildup of carbon dioxide could cause a fully sealed jar to explode.
3. Control temperature – Ferment at room temperature between 65–75°F (18–24°C). Warmer temperatures can speed up fermentation but risk over-souring, while cooler temperatures may slow it down.
4. Monitor regularly – While paocai is mostly hands-off, it’s important to check in every few days when adding new ingredients. Your sense of taste, sight, and smell are the best indicators if everything is going well. Watch for signs of spoilage, like if molds appear or something smells unpleasant.

How to maintain paocai

Once your paocai jar has completed fermenting its first batch, you have several options on how to continue. Here’s the key steps to maintaining a mother brine:

Option 1 – No Changes Necessary: If you like how your pickles taste, simply add more washed vegetables and wait for them to ferment.

Option 2 – Adjust Seasoning: Based on the taste of the last batch of pickles, you may choose to adjust the brine with additional salt or sugar to taste. Adding salt isn’t necessary between every batch, since the lactobacillus bacteria will outcompete undesirable microbial growth.

• Add seasoning: I like to add salt and/or sugar equivalent to 0.5% of the weight of ingredients between batches if I notice a lack of seasoning (e.g. if I have 1000g of vegetables + brine, I’ll add 5g salt).
• Reduce seasoning: If your pickles are too salty, it’s perfectly fine to remove a ladle of the brine and replace with boiled and cooled or filtered water.

Method 3 – Kickstart A New Brine: Sometimes I’ll want to start anew even if the brine hasn’t gone bad, like if the brine is too spicy from previous batches. I’ll reserve half a cup of the existing brine to kickstart the microbial acticity in the new brine without affecting the overall flavor.

Method 4 – Start Over Entirely: It’s best to restart the brine if something goes wrong. Remove everything from the jar and wash with hot, soapy water before proceeding from the start of the recipe.

How to clean the water seal moat

It’s important to check in every few days or even just once a week to ensure the water seal is intact. If the water in the moat begins to carry dust it needs to be cleaned.

1. Carefully remove the lid, making sure not to let any water from outside the jar drip inside.
2. Using a clean towel, soak up the water in the moat and wipe away any dust or sediment.
3. Wash the lid with hot, soapy water. Fully dry the lid before replacing. Add water to the moat to seal again.

How do you know if paocai goes bad?

Your sense of sight and smell are a critical tool for identifying if your ferment is healthy and safe to eat.

Mold is concerning because it may be toxic and unsafe to eat. Molds appear in various colors ranging from white, grey, black, green, or blue. If you notice a strong off smell, mold (fuzzy or colored growth), or slimy brine, it’s best to discard the batch. These are signs of spoilage, not just kahm yeast. Skimming off mold won’t help since the food underneath may already be contaminated with mycotoxins.

How to remove kahm yeast

Some paocai jars will form a thin, veiny white skin that floats on the surface. This is kahm yeast, a harmless layer of wild yeasts that forms where oxygen meets the pickling liquid. Kahm yeast is harmless, but it can still affect the taste of your paocai. Here’s how to treat and remove kahm yeast once it appears:

1. Use a ladle or skimmer to skim off as much kahm yeast as possible from the brine.
2. Add a few cloves of garlic or some prepared bamboo shoots if you have them. These ingredients discourage kahm yeast growth thanks to their prebiotics and antimicrobial properties.
3. Consider using fermentation weights or a piece of cabbage to keep ingredients submerged. Create an environment that’s free of oxygen to discourage kahm yeast. Top off the brine with a saltwater solution (3% salt ratio) if needed to keep the vegetables submerged.
4. Add 2 Tbsp baijiu or vodka to the surface of the brine before replacing the lid. The high alcohol environment will discourage kahm yeast from forming again.

Sichuan Paocai Recipe