Sour Plum-Marinated Cherry Tomatoes and Small Cucumbers
A crisp, tangy cold Chinese appetizer made by marinating juicy cherry tomatoes and crunchy small cucumbers in sweet-sour pickled plum brine.
Story
This bright, zesty dish is a beloved staple of casual Chinese home cooking, often served as a refreshing palate cleanser between richer courses or a crisp, flavorful snack on warm afternoons, with its vibrant colors and bright sweet-sour profile making it a popular addition to family meals and small everyday gatherings.
Ingredients
small cucumber
7 pieces
plum
5 pieces
cherry tomato small cucumber 250g
plum powder
1 tablespoon
water
200 ml
rock sugar
3 tablespoons
honey
4 tablespoons
salt
2 teaspoons
lemon juice
1 tablespoon
tomato
Instructions
1
Step 1
Prepare all ingredients, wash them thoroughly, and set aside.
2
Step 2
Slice the small cucumbers into pieces about 0.5 cm thick, salt them for 20 minutes to draw out the bitter liquid.
3
Step 3
After the bitter liquid is removed, rinse off the salt with cooled boiled water, drain well, and set aside.
4
Step 4
First, make a small cross-shaped slash on the bottom of each small tomato. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, put the slashed small tomatoes into the pot and cook for about 15 seconds, until their skins split open.
5
Step 5
Then fish them out and soak in ice water. Do not cook the small tomatoes for too long, as they will become overly soft and mushy.
6
Step 6
Then peel each tomato one by one. This is the most tedious step in the whole process, the completely skinless tomatoes look so cute.
7
Step 7
In a separate pot, add 200 cc of water, the plums and rock sugar, bring to a boil, then set aside to cool after the rock sugar has fully melted.
8
Step 8
Mix the prepared cucumbers from Step 3, the peeled small tomatoes, the plums with their syrup from Step 7, plum powder, honey, and lemon juice together evenly, then refrigerate for about 1 day until the flavors are well infused, and it is ready to serve.
