Vietnamese Pickled Bean Sprouts with Garlic Chives (Dưa Giá)

Vietnamese Pickled Bean Sprouts with Garlic Chives (Dưa Giá)

Pour brine over vegetables.

Toss evenly. Set aside for 30 minutes to wilt.

Transfer to a container.

Add brine to containers until covered.

Add weights if necessary to keep vegetables submerged. Here I’m adding a ziploc bag with water. Make sure that it’s sealed tightly to prevent leakage.
Screw on lid and store in the fridge. Pickled bean sprouts are ready in one day and can keep up to a week in the fridge.

You know you are getting old when you start putting taffy candy into your pockets to “soften” because it hurts your jaw.

You know you are also getting old when you enjoy vegetables that you never did as a kid.

Growing up, I never liked Vietnamese pickled bean sprouts and garlic chives. Whenever we have Caramelized Pork Belly & Eggs (Thit Kho Tau), I would have it by itself with my steamed white rice and maybe … just maybe with a few slices of fresh cucumbers. No pickled side dishes for me and certainly, no yucky pickled bean sprouts with god awful stinky garlic chives.

Now, I love my pickled side dishes. They go wonderfully with fatty food. Something I never said growing up. A true sign of the times.

Vietnamese Pickled Bean Sprouts with Garlic Chives (Dưa Giá)

Vietnamese pickled bean sprouts with garlic chives is a great side dish to braised pork belly and eggs. The acidity in pickled vegetables complements the tender fatty pork belly well.

With the Lunar New Year (Tet) coming around, these two combinations are a must. So I’m getting busy and making a large batch in preparation for the festivities.

Recipe below. Happy pickling!

Vietnamese Pickled Bean Sprouts with Garlic Chives (Dưa Giá)

Vietnamese Pickled Bean Sprouts with Garlic Chives (Dua Gia)

4 cups

Ingredients

• 1 lb / 16 oz mung bean sprouts
• Handful garlic chives (about 2 oz)
• 3 red chili peppers (optional)
• 1 small carrot (optional)
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white vinegar

Instructions

1. Wash the vegetables thoroughly and drain dry. Pick up off any loose stringy ends of the bean sprouts and discard. Cut the garlic chives into 1.5-inch segments. Slice the chili peppers. Transfer everything to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Make the brine. In a large bowl, mix together water, sugar, salt, and vinegar until completely dissolved.
3. Add brine to the vegetables. Toss until evenly coated and set aside for 30 minutes to wilt for easier handling.
4. Transfer vegetables to a container with a lid. Pour brine over the vegetables, making sure it completely covers the vegetables. If needed, put weights on the vegetables to keep it submerged. I like to use a small ziplock bag with a bit of water. If using a ziploc bag with water, make sure that the bag is sealed tight to prevent water from leaking into the container. Cover the container with a lid and store in the fridge. The vegetables are ready to eat in one day. Pickled bean sprouts can keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.