Crispy Pickled Onions
How to Make Deliciously Crispy Pickled Onions (Tips, Ratio, Storage Included)
An indispensable side dish for meat dishes or savory pancakes! I’ve made these wonderfully crispy pickled onions. The photo shows them after 3 days of pickling – they have a beautiful color and are deliciously seasoned with a perfect sweet and sour balance. Making them ahead of time for holidays like Chuseok would be incredibly convenient!
Ingredients- 10 onions
- 6 Korean green chili peppers (Cheongyang peppers)
Sweet and Sour Brine- 2 cups soy sauce
- 3.5 cups water
- 0.5 cup mirin (rice wine)
- 0.5 cup sugar
- 1 cup vinegar
- 0.5 cup plum extract (maesil cheong)
- 2 cups soy sauce
- 3.5 cups water
- 0.5 cup mirin (rice wine)
- 0.5 cup sugar
- 1 cup vinegar
- 0.5 cup plum extract (maesil cheong)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, peel the onions and wash them thoroughly under running water. Pat them dry completely. Cut the onions in half, and then into smaller wedges – about 1/6th for small onions or 1/9th for large ones. Be careful not to cut them too small, as this can affect their crispiness.
Step 2
Trim the stems off the Korean green chili peppers, wash them, and slice them into bite-sized pieces, either diagonally or into rounds. You can also add red chili peppers for a more colorful presentation if you like.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the delicious soy sauce brine. Pour 3.5 cups of water into a pot.
Step 4
Next, add 2 cups of soy sauce, 0.5 cup of mirin, and 0.5 cup of sugar to the pot.
Step 5
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves completely. Once it starts boiling vigorously, reduce the heat to medium.
Step 6
Add 0.5 cup of plum extract and 1 cup of vinegar to the pot, and continue to simmer.
Step 7
Simmer for just a short while to preserve the fresh, tangy flavors of the vinegar and plum extract. Avoid overcooking, as this can make the sourness too intense.
Step 8
As soon as the brine comes back to a boil, turn off the heat. Pour the hot brine evenly over the prepared onions. Pouring while hot helps the onions retain their crisp texture for longer. (Add the sliced chili peppers at this stage as well.)
Step 9
Place a plate or a small lid on top of the onions to keep them submerged in the brine. Let them cool completely at room temperature. Once the brine has cooled down, transfer the pickled onions and brine to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.
Step 10
Your delicious pickled onions are ready! While they are tasty the next day, they are even better after 2-3 days of refrigeration, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen.
