Eggplant pickle enjoyed during dog days of summer
As a saying on food customs in the Jiangnan area goes, "In the dog days of summer, white gourd cuisine in toufu (the first period of the hottest summer days) and eggplant cuisine in erfu (the second period of the hottest summer days) benefit your health."
Mid-to-late August is the season for eating eggplant in Songjiang, and orchid little eggplant is used to make eggplant pickle that is popular with people here.
The little eggplants are very small – no more than 6 to 10 centimeters long – and vary in color. Some are purple and some are green. Their shape resembles orchid flower petals, hence the name "orchid little eggplant."
An important procedure before salting the eggplants is to rub, said to rid some of their bitter taste.
Treated eggplants are then washed and soaked in soy sauce and sesame oil for several hours or overnight. Based on individual preferences, sugar and honey can be added for a sweeter taste or chili for a spicier sensation.
With the eggplants' tender skin and pulp, the pickles' final version smells fragrant with an unforgettable taste.