Chinese fermented brine pickles

Use glass, ceramic or stainless steel containers; avoid aluminum, brass, copper, zinc and iron, which react with the acid brine.

Test each jar seals: fill with water, close and turn upside down; do not use a jar that drips.

Wash jars in soapy water, rinse several times, rinse finally with boiled hot water, and air or sun dry upside down on a clean towel. Clean the pot, trays, board, knives and utensils the same way.

In a non-reactive pot, combine the water and salt, add sugar if wanted, the star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon and Sichuan peppercorn.

Cover and bring to a boil; once bubbling, cook 10 minutes more. Turn off the heat and leave covered overnight to cool completely and infuse.

Wash, rub and rinse the vegetables. Cut celery into 2.5-inch pieces, carrot and turnip radish into finger-size pieces (keep the turnip tops), cabbage into 8 big parts; trim chili stems leaving a little; leave long beans whole; peel and slice the ginger. Lay on trays.

Sun dry about 5 hours or air dry overnight until no water remains on the surface.

Pack the jars, cabbage first, filling gaps with smaller vegetables.

Fish the spices out of the brine and pour it over the vegetables right up near the lid to leave as little air as possible. Finish with the liquor.

Store in a dark place and ferment 20 days; in the first week, open the lid every 2 days for a few seconds to release gas.

To keep the brine: take pickles out with clean tools, add new vegetables, salt at about 5-8% of the weight of the new vegetables and water, sugar to taste, and fill with clean water to the lid.