Pickled Asian Pears (Wor Mei Lei)

Name: Pickled Asian Pears (Wor Mei Lei)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 72 h
Total time: 72 h 15 min
Yield: 4-6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 lbs pears, very hard, barely ripe; 1 1/3 cups Chinese white rice vinegar (can substitute distilled vinegar ( cider vinegar not recommended (adds too much apple flaovor); 1 1/3 cups water; 1/2 cup sugar; 2 teaspoons salt

Submitted by Gandalf The White

"This is from Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's "The Chinese Kitchen", one of the finest classic Chinese cookbooks in English. In this reciped, she uses "sah leh" (sand pears) and recommends substituting Bosc pears, but I have done this with Asian pears, specifically Hosui or Niitaka. The desirable characteristic is a hard, crisp fruit. This is a wonderful appetizer or amuse bouche ... You can either pickle the pears whole, or for an appetizer, you can julienne them."

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Ready In:: 72hrs 15mins
Ingredients:: 5
Serves:: 4-6

ingredients

2 lbs pears, very hard, barely ripe
1 ¹⁄₃ cups Chinese white rice vinegar (can substitute distilled vinegar ( cider vinegar not recommended (adds too much apple flaovor)
1 ¹⁄₃ cups water
¹⁄₂ cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt

directions

Peel, wash, and dry the pears (julienne if you choose to -- ).
Place all the remaining ingredients in an oversize glass jar.
Mix well (non-metallic utensil, wood preferred) to ensure all the ingredients are dissolved.
Add the pears to the jar, mix again, and cover tightly.
Keep in refrigerator, undisturbed, for at least 3 days before use.
These pears will keep refrigerated for at least 6 months.

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Reviews

Made these using Bosc pears would recommend quartering or slicing and rice vinegar. The sugar and vinegar are well balanced to make a tasty treat. We found they made a good snack, ie appetizer. May try putting some with either grilled meat or a salad.

Debbwl