Cách làm món mứt trong suốt như thủy tinh bị thất truyền

Pickled eggplant originated in Hue, primarily in family kitchens, passed down orally through several generations, and gradually faded into obscurity as mass-produced jams became popular.

Dao Duy Tai, owner of the "Kitchen on the Hillside" channel, said that during his culinary content creation process, he often searches for traditional dishes that have disappeared from modern life, including pickled eggplant. He first learned about this dish through an article about a food festival in Ho Chi Minh City, but the method and finished product presented differed from the traditional description he had researched.

According to the information he gathered, pickled eggplant is believed to originate from Central Vietnamese cuisine, especially in Hue. Unlike other specialty jams from traditional villages, this dish only existed within family kitchens, passed down orally through several generations, and gradually disappeared as fruit jams and mass-produced jams became widespread. Therefore, when searching online, Tai found very little information.

Continuing his research, he discovered a local newspaper article published nearly 10 years ago, detailing the method of making pickled eggplant that his grandmother had passed down to him, describing all the steps from salting the eggplant to simmering it in sugar. Based on these recorded "memories," Mr. Tài decided to "restore" the appearance of this lost Tet snack.

Mr. Dao Duy Tài.

To make clear pickled eggplant, the first step is selecting and preparing the ingredients. The eggplants are washed, the stems are removed, and they are left to dry overnight to reduce the water content, preventing cracking during salting, drying, and simmering.

The salting stage lasts about two months. The eggplants are salted at a ratio of 5 parts eggplant to 1 part salt. The brine is boiled, cooled, then poured over the eggplants and pressed tightly. During the salting process, the water is changed periodically to keep the eggplants white, prevent discoloration, and prevent mold from forming.

After salting, the eggplants are peeled and the seeds removed. The workers use razor blades attached to bamboo to thinly slice the skin, avoiding cutting into the eggplant flesh. Next, the remaining stem is removed, and the seeds are taken out, leaving the opening intact so the sugar can easily penetrate during the simmering process.

If the flesh of the eggplant is damaged, it will crack and tear, making it prone to breaking and looking bad during the simmering process.

After cleaning the skin and removing the seeds, the eggplants are soaked in water mixed with lemon juice and sun-dried for about three days. The water is changed twice a day to reduce the pungent smell, helping the eggplants gradually turn translucent white and absorb a light lemon aroma.

Once they reach the desired translucent whiteness, the eggplants are treated with a mixture of alcohol and alum. The alum is boiled with alcohol and water, then the eggplants are added, stirred quickly, and continuously rinsed under cold water to remove the alum smell. This step makes the eggplant flesh clearer and increases surface firmness, maintaining its shape during simmering. The eggplants are then soaked in water to preserve their color before being mixed with sugar.

Simmer the eggplant with sugar over low heat, stirring gently to avoid breaking the hollow parts. Adjust the heat so the sugar doesn't turn too dark. When the sugar thickens and coats evenly, the eggplant becomes more translucent and the hollow parts are clearly visible. Determining the right time to turn off the heat is crucial for the clarity, crispness, and to prevent the jam from becoming watery or hard and cloudy.

The finished jam.

Good quality pickled eggplant should have an intact shape, a translucent surface, and no longer have a pungent smell. The jam should have a lemon and rice wine aroma, a sweet taste from the sugar, a slight sourness, and a hint of astringency in the aftertaste.