In Qingtian a favourite snack when sipping on a coldie was duck tongue. In Zhaoqing we seem to be a bit more refined we are eating pickled garlic. It's fantastic and let's just say it keeps away the vampires.

I asked for the recipe it was so nice and as we speak I have a jar of them pickling away. They say it takes a week and my guess is I have 22 weeks here so I should get it right just in time to leave.

The recipe as I interpreted is something along these lines.

Pickled Garlic

Ingredients:
Boiled water
1/2 cup of Salt
2 tablespoons of Red Vinegar
Enough Garlic to fill jar (4 whole garlics not singular cloves)
Black Vinegar (for serving)

Directions:
In a large jar about the size of a large Nescafe 43 coffee jar put half a cup of salt, add boiled water to fill jar and stir to dissolve salt. Leave to cool. Add 2 tablespoons of red vinegar. Peel the outer skin off the garlics, they should still be connected and look something like a peeled mandarin (cloves still connected to the heart). Place garlic in liquid and leave for about 1-2 weeks.

Serve with Black Vinegar as a dipping sauce.

Mine is currently bubbling away and it's been a week, it smells great but I have a husband who wants to leave it another week.

Will let you know how it tastes, and apologies if my taste buds have moved to my butt after a year here. I remember when I thought eating ducks tongue, pigs ear and pigs tail was disgusting - a year later I'm kind of missing it. Haven't eaten it for 3 weeks.

Note - I think it takes more than 2 weeks, I'll suggest you just leave it and come back later. 3 weeks and still needing more time