Recipe - Pickled Pigs Ears (Tai Heo Ngam Chua)

Stephen Ceideburg
4 qt Water
1 tablespoon Alum
2 cup Distilled white vinegar
2 cup Granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
2 pound Pigs' ears

Lipsmacking, tangy, chewy, and exotic, these morsels go perfectly with
drinks before dinner, and very well without drinks at any time.

Boil 2 quarts of the water with the alum for 5 minutes, then remove from
the heat and allow to cool.

Boil the vinegar with the sugar and salt for a few minutes, or until the
sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool.

Boil the remaining 2 quarts water and drop in the pigs' ears. Boil for 20
minutes. Remove the pigs' ears and cut them into lengthwise slices One fourth inch
wide. After the cut or sliced up pigs' ears have cooled, return them to the alum
water to soak for 2 hours, then drain and rinse under cold water. Dry
lightly.

Place the pigs' ears in a jar, pressing them down. Pour in enough cooled
vinegar mixture to completely cover the contents of the jar. Refrigerate.

NOTE: This can be eaten after 3 day and will keep for several weeks in the
refrigerator.

Yields 2 quarts

From "The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam", Bach Ngo and Gloria Zimmerman,
Barron's, 1979. ISBN 0812053095

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini