Guriin oriibu no chuuka-aji / Chinese-flavored green olives

An experiment on simultaneous desalination and flavoring with a Chinese taste. Instead of adding salt to water to draw out the excess sodium of olives, I used shaoxing wine along with a couple of Chinese spices. As hoped, finished olives have very mild saltiness while imparting soft spiciness from Sichuan peppercorns and deep aroma of star anise. They work great as a Chinese pickle substitute.

<Ingredients>

Green olives (6 olives, 29 g in photo)
Shaoxing wine (1 tbsp in photo)
Water (85 cc in photo)
1 star anise
Approx. 1 tbsp hua jiao Sichuan peppercorns

<Directions>
1.

Add shaoxing wine, star anise and hua jiao Sichuan peppercorns to water. 

Microwave to boil.

2.

Put green olives, and wait for 1- 2 days.

<Notes>

• The star anise aroma continues to intensify when olives are kept in liquid. Soaking for two days is my preferred strength. If unsure, taste after soaking one day.
  
• Spiciness from Sichuan peppercorns is minor even after soaking olives for 2-3 days, as it is best drawn out by oil. For a clear spiciness, it is better to fry hua jiao in oil, (discard hua jiao once fragrant,) and saute or marinate olives in the hua jiao oil.
   

Recipe with guriin oriibu no chuuka-aji (Chinese-flavored green olives)

• Shirunashi tantan men / dan dan mian noodles

(Last updated: November 1, 2017)