Pickles are a great addition to any meal, giving that extra bit of spiciness and tanginess. Every civilization has its own twist on pickles, with Western countries relying more on vinegar while countries like India rely on spices.
3 tasty pickle recipes
1. Sweet and spicy pickled carrots
For this recipe, you will need 1 lb of carrots cut into long pieces, 1 ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup of sugar, 2 ½ tbsp salt, 2 garlic cloves, 10 coriander seeds, and 1 habanero pepper cut into quarters. Since carrots are good for your eyes, this pickle is perfect for people who have problems with vision.
“Individuals with low vitamin A levels are more likely to experience night blindness, a condition that may diminish by eating carrots or other foods rich in vitamin A or carotenoids… Carotenoids may also cut your risk of age-related macular degeneration,” according to Healthline.
To prepare the pickle, boil the vinegar, sugar, salt, and coriander seeds together with water at a medium-high temperature. Let it simmer for about five minutes. Put the carrots vertically in a jar together with pepper and garlic. Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar while it is still hot. Once done, cover the jar tightly. When the jar has cooled down, chill it for about 24 hours prior to serving. The recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare.
Indian raw mango pickles use spices instead of vinegar. (Image: via Pixabay)
2. Indian mango pickles
Ingredients required for the pickles — 1 ¼ cup raw mango cut into cubes, 3 tbsp red chili powder, 3 tbsp oil (sesame or peanut is ideal), 1 tbsp mustard seeds, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, and 4 garlic cloves.
Dry roast the fenugreek at a low flame until it turns golden and releases an aroma. Put them on a plate to cool down. In the same pan, heat up some oil. When warm, take it out and let it cool. Next, blend the fenugreek with the mustard seeds until a smooth powder is formed. In a bowl, add the chopped mangoes, red chili powder, mustard-fenugreek powder, salt, and crushed garlic.
Pour in the oil, mix everything, and set the bowl aside for about 24 hours. Stir the pickles and check the salt level. If satisfied, you can go ahead and use it right away. This recipe will be enough to serve 15 people.
Cut the cucumbers into strips. (Image: via Pixabay)
3. Chinese pickled cucumbers
You need 3 cucumbers (seedless are the best), 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, 3 tsp sugar, 1 ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp dark soy sauce, 4 cloves garlic, 3 dried chili peppers, and 2 bay leaves. Trim the ends of cucumbers and cut them into four equal sections, further cutting the sections into 6 strips. Put them into a bowl and toss them with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar. Cover the preparation and let it refrigerate for about an hour.
To make the sauce, mix 2 ½ tsp sugar, black vinegar, ½ tsp salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, garlic, chili peppers, and bay leaves. Stir well and make sure that the salt and sugar are dissolved completely. Take the cucumbers and strain out the liquid from the bowl. Add in the sauce and mix everything. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. You can consume the pickles the next day. The recipe serves 4 and takes about 1 hour to prepare.
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