Quickles (Quick Pickles)
This is a great idea with vegetable odds and ends that might be lurking in your fridge. Use firm vegetables, such as carrots, cucumbers, beetroot, green beans and cauliflower florets.
INGREDIENTS
- Vegetables of your choice
- 1/4 to 1 tsp of dried flavourings such as mustard seeds, peppercorns, dill seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried chilli, fennel seeds, cloves, bay leaves or other
- OPTIONAL: 1 tbsp of fresh flavourings such as fresh dill, fresh chopped chilli, garlic or other
For every 1 cup of pickling liquid, use:
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
METHOD
1. Wash and dry the vegetables, and cut into desired shapes, making sure the pieces aren’t too thick. Pack your vegies into the jars and fill each jar with water. Pour out the water to measure how much is needed. This amount will be needed to determine how much pickling liquid is needed.
2. Divide the chosen flavourings between your sterilised jars and pack the vegetables into the jars.
3. For the amount of liquid measured in step 1, combine the required amount of water, vinegar, salt and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour the hot solution in the jars over the vegetables. Lead a headspace of about 2-3cm.
4. Cap the jars lightly and allow to cool before storing in the fridge. They are ready to eat immediately but will improve after a day.
5. Store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. The pickles should retain their crispiness, but discard if they have lost their ‘bite’ or have gone soggy.