Closeup of Sichuan-style cucumber pickles in a shallow white bowl.

Condiments, Preservation

Sichuan-Style Cucumber Pickles

By John Becker

•

November 19, 2024

This small-batch, low-effort pickle was inspired by a recipe in Charles Phan’s Vietnamese Home Cooking. After making some major adjustments to the brine, spices, and aromatics, it has become one of our favorites. A thin layer of sesame oil infused with chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, and mustard seeds forms on the surface of the brine and coats each slice of cucumber as it emerges.

In the 2019 edition, we call this a “quick pickle,” and it is compared to shelf-stable pickles or fermented half-sours. The initial salting step, however, pushes the total time to just over three hours from slicing cukes to serving. Salting may seem pointless, but don’t be tempted to skip this step: it firms up the cucumbers and keeps the brine nice and concentrated.

If you like the flavor of this pickle, try the recipe for spicy Chinese-style slaw that our friends Bruno and Helen Doetsch contributed to Joy (page 119 in the 2019 edition). The slaw uses the same salting technique, but with slightly different effects. Instead of firming up the texture, salting makes the firm matchsticks of kohlrabi pliable and tender with just the right amount of crunch. The kohlrabi is then tossed with rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, chiles, and garlic. Honestly, the dish is so pungent and flavorful that it sort of crosses the line into pickle territory.

Overhead view of Sichuan-style cucumber pickles in a shallow white bowl.
Overhead closeup of Sichuan-style cucumber pickles in a pint jar.

Sichuan-Style Cucumber Pickles

YIELD

About 1 quart jar

PREP TIME

5 minutes

COOK TIME

5 minutes

SALTING TIME

1 hour

Ingredients
  • 1 pound English or Persian cucumbers
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 1/3 cups rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced or julienned
  • 2 teaspoons fine salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 8 small dried red chiles, such as árbol or cayenne (see note)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Equipment
  • Colander
  • Small skillet or saucepan

Halve lengthwise and cut diagonally into thin slices:

1 pound English or Persian cucumbers 

Place the cucumber slices in a medium bowl and toss well with:

1/2 teaspoon fine salt 

Transfer to a colander in the sink and let drain for 1 hour. Meanwhile, add to the bowl:

1 1/3 cups rice vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced or julienned

2 teaspoons fine salt 

Stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved and set aside. Heat in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat until hot:

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 

Add and fry, stirring frequently, until the dried chiles are just beginning to darken, about 30 seconds:

8 small dried red chiles, such as árbol or cayenne (see note)

1 1/2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

(1 teaspoon white peppercorns) 

Carefully and quickly pour the oil and fried spices into the vinegar mixture. After the cucumbers have drained, rinse well, drain again, and add to the brine. Let steep for 2 hours, then serve or pack into a clean quart jar. Store refrigerated for up to 2 months.

 

NOTES

For a milder pickle, halve the amounts of Sichuan peppercorns and dried chiles.

About the Author

John Becker, Irma’s great-grandson, is the fourth generation co-author and steward of the Joy of Cooking. John has a background in literature, research, and critical writing. Influenced by his father Ethan’s improvisational style and his mother Joan’s love of international foods and spices, John started experimenting in the kitchen at a young age, whether in his mother’s Portland, Oregon condo or at the Becker family home in Cincinnati, Ohio. Many decades later, he continues to revisit Joy’s classic dishes while exploring new recipes, ingredients, and ways of thinking about home cooking.

Things that are true about John

  • When left to his own devices, John will slather his morning toast with fried chili paste instead of jam (unless its apricot).
  • John has probably used 5 forms of garlic in the last 24 hours.
  • John is a soda and bitters enthusiast.
  • Sometimes John struggles in the kitchen, even when he’s making something he basically knows by heart.
  • John is a recent convert to the chicken bouillon powder faith.
  • John is a pan juice aficionado.
  • John has gotten a speeding ticket while trying to keep Sichuan takeout from getting cold.
  • Grilling fish for company stresses John out.
  • John is impatient when making dark roux.
  • John thinks fried potato snacks belong in more sandwiches.
  • John is a recovering garlic press hater.
  • John thinks baby tongs are much better than culinary tweezers.
Portrait of John Becker, seated at a table behind several stacks of the 2019 edition of the Joy of Cooking. His head gently rests against an upturned arm. John is smiling genuinely, and not making a silly face, which is rare (and why this particular image has been chosen).
Joy of Cooking illustration
Joy of Cooking illustration
Joy of Cooking illustration
Joy of Cooking illustration

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