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Homemade sour beans

Homemade Sour Beans

Homemade sour beans are a classic Sichuan pickle, deeply loved for their unique refreshing sour taste and appetite-stimulating properties. This appetizer is simple to make with common ingredients, yet can achieve restaurant-level deliciousness. After fermentation, the green beans become crisp in texture with a pleasant sour and fragrant taste, making them an excellent choice to accompany rice. Whether served with congee, noodles, or as an ingredient in stir-fries, they add a bright touch to any meal. Homemade versions are not only healthy and hygienic but also allow adjustment of sourness according to personal preference, making them an essential family appetizer.

1Ingredients needed

Main ingredients

  • Long beans500g
  • Salt50g
  • Thai chilies5-10
  • Ginger50g
  • Garlic5-8 cloves

Seasonings and spices

  • Sichuan peppercorns1 small pinch
  • Star anise2
  • Cinnamon bark1 small piece
  • White liquor50ml
  • Cool boiled water1000ml
  • Sugar10g

2Production steps

1

Prepare beans

Select fresh, tender green long beans, remove both ends, wash and dry thoroughly. Cut beans into 5-8cm sections, place in a ventilated area to air dry for 2 hours until surface moisture completely evaporates. Be sure to choose tender beans - older beans will have a tough texture.

2

Prepare ingredients

Wash ginger and slice, crush garlic cloves, wash Thai chilies and drain well. Ensure all spices and ingredients are free from raw water - this is key to successful sour beans. Scald containers with boiling water or disinfect with alcohol to ensure sterility.

3

Make pickle brine

Add cool boiled water to a clean container, add salt and sugar, stir until completely dissolved. Add white liquor for aroma and preservation, add Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon bark and other spices. Stir well and let stand for 10 minutes to allow flavors to fully infuse.

4

Pack for pickling

Layer the dried bean sections, ginger slices, garlic cloves, and Thai chilies in the jar. Gently press with sterilized chopsticks to ensure all ingredients are submerged in the pickle brine. Pack beans relatively full to reduce air exposure, which aids fermentation.

5

Seal and ferment

Seal the container and place in a cool, ventilated area to ferment. Ferment at room temperature for 3-5 days in summer, 7-10 days in winter. Open lid once daily to release gas and prevent pressure buildup. Observe color changes, beans are ready when they turn evenly sour yellow.

6

Storage and serving

Sour beans can be removed for immediate eating or continue pickling for storage. Serve with sesame oil, light soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce or other condiments. Use clean chopsticks when retrieving to avoid contaminating the brine. Can be refrigerated for 1-2 months.

🥗Nutritional Value

Health Benefits

  • • Rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber
  • • Fermentation produces beneficial bacteria that aid digestion
  • • Appetite stimulating and digestive aid
  • • Low calorie, suitable for weight management

Suitable For

  • • People with poor appetite
  • • Those with digestive issues
  • • People needing weight control
  • • Lovers of sour flavored foods

💡Making Tips

  • •All containers and ingredients must not touch raw water during preparation, otherwise they will easily spoil and develop odors.
  • •Salt amount cannot be too little - too little salt causes spoilage, but too much affects fermentation.
  • •Adjust fermentation time based on temperature - faster in summer, slower in winter, be patient.
  • •You can add some old pickle brine as a starter to make fermentation faster and more stable.
  • •Sour beans can be used for stir-frying with ground meat, scrambled eggs, as noodle toppings, and many other uses.