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The most typical Chinese pickle: zhacai
If we were to pinpoint a vegetable as THE most representative of Chinese pickled vegetables, it would be zhacai. The Latin name of zhacai is Brassica juncea tumida. It is a peculiarly looking pickled vegetable, resembling the shape of a fist. It is the stem of a variety of mustard.
Freshly harvested zhacai Based on traditional pickling method, this special pickle originates from Sichuan (the Chongqing region, which is now a separate administrative region) was first created in 1898. The name zhacai, literally meaning pressed vegetable, was inspired by the process employed to press out the salt water using bean curd press. Zhacai is flavored with salt, chilli, pepper and a mix of typical local spices like star aniseed, kaempferia galanga, glycyrrhiza, etc. The exact composition of the spice mix is the secret of the manufacturer. Though covered in chilli, it is not hot but extremely salty and is usually cut to size and soaked to remove the salt before cooking. When only a small amount is used as a seasoning, no soaking is necessary. It should be cooked only briefly to retain the crunchy texture.
Traditional pickling of zhacai Zhacai is an essential ingredient in the famous Hot and Sour Soup. It is available in glass jars, cans and more and more frequently in aluminium sachets. Some manufacturers combine zhacai shreds with shredded mushrooms or other vegetables.
Zhacai shreds
Packed processed zhacai, combined with dried bean curd
On average, 100 gr. of zhacai has the following composition. Substance Water Protein Fat Carbohydrates Crude fibre Ash Calcium Phosphorus Iron Content 67.3 gr 4.4 gr 1.2 gr 5.6 gr 3.1 gr 18.4 gr 224 mg 125 mg 8.1 mg
Zhacai future for Fuling The Fuling region of Chongqing has always been famous for its zhacai. The local authorities are supporting the development of growing and processing of this vegetable. The expect that the output of raw zhacai increase to 1.5 million MT in the coming 5 years, 1 million of which will be further processed in pickled zhacai. They also intend to promote export. The export of pickled zhacai was 25 000 MT in 2006 (from a production volume of 952 000 MT).
Location of Fuling From zhacai to soy sauce The Fuling Group, China’s largest manufacturer of zhacai, has finished the experimental stage of its new soy sauce production line. An innovative feature of this project is that it will use the affluent of the pickling plant as raw material. In this way a considerable part of the company’s pollution will be transformed into value added
products. The first batch of Zhacai Soy Sauce has been approved by the relevant authorities. The company further announced that it has finished its ‘revolutionary’ change of its production process. The final product is now completely free of preservatives. The new process no longer includes steps that require manual labor. Work that before required 500 workers, now only needs 30 – 40 people to complete.
Modern zhacai packaging line at Fuling Group All this shows that this traditional Chinese pickle is finding its way into the world of modern industrialized production quite well. Eurasia Consult has been active in the Chinese food industry since 1985. We are in particular specialists in the transformation of traditional Chinese foods into modern nutritional products. We are your best option to formulate a suitable strategy for your products in China, or perhaps selecting appropriate Chinese products to develop into Europe, North America, or wherever you may be located.