Alonso: And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they find this grand liquor that hath gilded ‘em? How camest thou in this pickle?

Trinculo: I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing. 

— The Tempest (Act V Scene 1) 

Achaar season is still some months away, but if you are looking to get into a pickle then there is no need to wait for heaps of keri and lasoora to hit the markets. Simple pickle recipes from other parts of the world will be a welcome standby for, or even a healthy alternative to, oily achaar. By combining some commonly found vegetables — ginger, cabbage and turnip — with simple vinegar mixtures it is possible to create Japanese gari, Korean kimchi, and Lebanese kabees.

Have you caught on to the pickling bug yet?

The possibilities are endless and the only requirement is glass jars for storing the pickles. Plastic and metal are not vinegar-friendly as they can alter the taste and colour of pickles over a period of time. Stoneware is a possibility, but glass is best since it is easy to handle and easy to wash. Thoroughly wash the glass jars and their lids with warm soapy water, rinse well, and then dry before using.

Gari

Spicy, sweet, briny, and bright — some people (like me) are fanatical about the pickled ginger served alongside sushi in Japanese restaurants. This pickled ginger known as gari is traditionally coloured pink by adding a red radish in each batch, but white gari is becoming more common due to suspicions over the commercial use of chemical pigments.

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh ginger (about 2 large hands) 1 large red radish (optional) 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 1/2 cup vinegar 1 cup water 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)

METHOD

Peel the ginger and slice thinly. Combine the ginger and salt in a small bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes. Combine the vinegar, water, and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Pour the brine over the ginger, filling the jar to within 1/2 inch of the top. Gently tap the jar against the counter a few times to remove air bubbles. Seal the jar tightly. Let cool to room temperature then store in the refrigerator. Wait at least 48 hours before cracking jar open. The pickles improve with flavour as they age and can be stored in the fridge for up to two months.

Kimchi

This Korean side dish is best described as spicy, slightly sweet, pickled cabbage. It makes the perfect accompaniment to a meal of Korean barbeque and rice, adding a welcome spicy kick to the meaty and starchy proceedings. Kimchi-fried rice is easy to conjure. Also, make the meeting of cultures possible by eating kimchi with kichhrri, muttar pulao or even tehrri. Biryani with a side of kimchi may be a new trend worth exploring.

Ingredients

2 cabbages 1 1/4 cups salt 1 tablespoon fish sauce 5 green onions, chopped 1/2 small white onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, pressed 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground ginger 5 tablespoons chilli powder

METHOD

Cut the cabbages in half lengthwise and trim the ends. Rinse and cut into pieces about 2-inch square. Place the cabbage into large resealable bags and sprinkle salt on the leaves so they are evenly coated. Use your hands to rub the salt in to the leaves. Seal the bags and leave at room temperature for six hours.

Rinse the salt from the cabbage leaves then drain and squeeze out any excess liquid. Place the cabbage in a large container with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in fish sauce, green onions, white onion, garlic, sugar and ginger. Sprinkle chilli powder over the mixture. Wear plastic gloves to protect your hands and rub the chilli powder into the cabbage leaves until evenly coated. Seal the container and set in a cool dry place. Leave undisturbed for four days. Refrigerate before serving, and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Kabees El-Lift

It is fairly typical to find glass jars filled with rose-coloured pieces of crunchy pickles decorate the front windows of many Lebanese restaurants. They’re not just put there to look pretty — that’s pickled turnip that has been tinted with the help of some strategic quantity of beetroot. Surprisingly simple to make and healthy to consume, this is a very good side dish to serve alongside heavy meat dishes.

Ingredients

6 turnips 2 cups water 1 cup vinegar 2 teaspoons salt 1 beetroot
Several garlic cloves

METHOD

Wash turnips well and cut off a slice from the tops and bottoms. Slice lengthwise into quarter-inch slices to within a half-inch of the bottom of the turnip. Do not separate the slices entirely from each other. Soak in water overnight. Wash well in the morning. Place in glass jar with the beetroot, to give colour to the pickles. Cover with the pickling solution prepared from the above ingredients. These pickles may be eaten after three days.

Published in Dawn, EOS, April 23rd, 2017