Start with a clean workspace and clean ingredients. Wash all produce and trim blemishes. Wash the pickle jar with hot, soapy water and dry. Wash hands before proceeding.
Begin by placing your empty pickle jar on a scale and tare to zero. Add Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and chilis if using. Add prepared vegetables to the jar, starting with the longest to ferment first (large or dense), and place the fastest to ferment (thin, tender veg) on top. Press down to pack the vegetables together as best you can, and don't let them extend up past the jar's neck.
Without taring the scale, fill the jar with water to its neck, making sure to cover all vegetables. Record the combined weight of the vegetables and water. Multiply the weight by 3% to determine how much salt to add. For example, if my vegetables and water weigh 2300g I will add 69g salt. Multiply the weight by 1% to determine how much sugar to add.In a clean mixing bowl, drain the water from the pickle jar leaving the vegetables in the jar. Add the salt and sugar to the bowl of water, using a clean utensil to stir until dissolved. Return the solution to the jar with vegetables. Multiply the combined weight of vegetables and water by 1% to determine how much baijiu/vodka to add. Pour directly on top of the brine without stirring.
Optionally, add a fermentation weight or a piece of clean plastic wrap to keep vegetables submerged. Replace the lid and seal by adding water to the moat, placing a fermentation airlock, or seal airtight depending on your jar. Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight. If using a fully airtight jar (like a swing-top or mason jar), "burp" the jar by opening it once a day for the first few days to release pressure from carbon dioxide.
Softer, quick fermenting vegetables will be ready in as soon as 4 days when starting the brine from scratch. Denser vegetables may take 7 days until ready to use. It is normal for the brine to turn cloudy or leach color from the vegetables. After the first few days, check for bubbles (a sign of active fermentation) and signs of spoilage (e.g., surface mold or an unpleasant smell). Once fermentation is highly active, usually after 3-4 days, you can retrieve pickles with clean hands or utensils to taste periodically. If using a paocai jar with water moat, carefully tilt and lift the lid to avoid water from outside the jar dripping inside. Once ingredients reach your desired sourness, remove them from the jar and store in an airtight container in the fridge to halt further fermentation. Tender, quick fermenting vegetables are best transferred to the fridge as soon as they are sour to retain their texture. Dense vegetables like mustard greens can be left to ferment for weeks or months, becoming softer with time.
