How to Make Delicious and Non-Bitter Pickled Figs at Home
The most important aspects of making pickled figs are learning how to remove the bitterness and ensuring the figs do not turn black.
Ingredients
- 500g figs
- 1 piece of ginger
- 2 garlic bulbs
- 3-4 chili peppers
- Vinegar, salt, sugar, water
- 2 lemons (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Figs
Rinse the figs under clean water, then trim off the stem ends and either halve them or slice them into pieces about 0.5 cm thick. To remove the bitterness and prevent the figs from turning black, immediately soak the sliced figs in a mixture of salt, lemon juice (or vinegar), and water for 30 minutes.
Prepare the Other Ingredients
Trim off any blackened or wilted parts of the ginger, then rinse and either slice or crush it.
Peel the garlic, then crush or slice it.
Remove the stems from the chili peppers, rinse, and cut them into sections or diagonal slices as desired.
Prepare the Pickling Brine
Bring 250ml of vinegar to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add 200g of sugar, 50ml of fish sauce, 25g of salt, and 250ml of water.
Pickle the Figs
Thoroughly clean and dry the jar for pickling. For the best taste and hygiene, it's recommended to use a glass jar. Layer the figs in the jar, alternating with layers of ginger, garlic, and chili peppers, until all ingredients are used up.
Pour the cooled pickling brine into the jar, then seal tightly. Depending on the weather, the pickled figs will be ready to eat in 2-3 days. This method produces figs with a sweet and sour taste, a slight spiciness, and a pleasant aroma without any bitterness, making them a delightful snack.
Tips & Notes
- You can add a bit of galangal to enhance the fragrance of the pickled figs. Choose medium-mature galangal that is not too old or too young, with pinkish flesh that is easy to slice and very aromatic.
- The sugar-fish sauce mixture must be completely cool before adding to the figs to prevent scum from forming.
- When serving the figs, use clean, dry utensils. Wet utensils can cause the figs to spoil or develop scum, similar to pickled vegetables.
