Recipe

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• 1/2 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned )
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 3 whole cloves
• 5 medium carrots , cut into 3- by 1/8-inch matchsticks
• 3/4 lb snow peas, trimmed and strings discarded
• 1 1/4 lb napa cabbage , leaves halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced seeded fresh mild red chile

• 1 Bring vinegar, sugar, ginger, salt, garlic, and cloves to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and let steep, uncovered, 30 minutes. Discard cloves.
• 2 While pickling liquid steeps, blanch carrots in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water 30 seconds, then transfer with a large slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Lift out carrots with slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry.
• 3 Blanch snow peas in same pot of boiling water 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water, drain, and pat dry in same manner. Cut each snow pea lengthwise into 4 strips.
• 4 Blanch cabbage in same pot of boiling water 5 seconds, then transfer to ice water, drain, and pat dry.
• 5 Just before serving, toss vegetables with pickling liquid and chile in a large bowl.
• 6 Cooks' notes: •Pickling liquid can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. •Vegetables can be blanched 1 day ahead and chilled separately in sealed plastic bags lined with paper towels.