For the pickle- minded

When you think pickle, your mind conjures images of cream and brown ceramic jars filled with an oil-soaked vegetable muddle. But this season, think outside the box and zing up your lunches with these foreign counterparts. Not only are they healthy with their no-oil and less-spice formula, but also easy to make.

Japanese Gari

Ingredients
>> 250 gm young ginger
>> 10 gm sea salt
>> 260 gm rice vinegar
>> 75 gm sugar
>> 5 gm beetroot

Method:
>> Finely slice ginger and beetroot
>> Sprinkle sea salt on the ginger slices and allow it to rest for an hour
>> Pat dry the slices with the help of a kitchen towel and transfer them into a stainless steel container
>> In a pan, heat rice vinegar, sugar, beetroot slices and bring it to a boil
>> Discard the beetroot slice once it colours the liquid well
>> Pour hot vinegar over ginger slices and cool the pickle to room temperature
>> Stock in airtight jars and store in a refrigerator. Consume with a week

North African Mekhallelu00a0

Ingredients
>> 2 cups water
>> 1 cup vinegar
>> 2 tsp salt
>> 1 tsp sugar
>> ½ tsp black peppercorns
>> ¼ tsp dill
>> 1 beetroot
>> 1 carrot
>> 1 white/red radish
>> 1 cucumber
>> ½ head of cauliflower, break into florets
>> 1 green or jalapeno chilli, muddled

Method:
>> Chop beetroot, carrot, radish and cucumber into batons
>> Heat water and add vinegar, salt, peppercorn and sugar
>> Bring to boil and add the vegetable batons, cauliflower florets and boil
>> Add dill and chilli, mix well and cool to room temperature
>> Stock in airtight jars and use after two days; consume within two months

Ecuadorian Onions in Orange Juice

Ingredients
>> 2 red onions, finely sliced
>> Juice of one lime
>> Juice of one orange
>> 1 cup apple cider
>> Vinegar
>> ¼ cup water
>> 1-2 jalapeno chilles, finely sliced
>> 4-6 whole peppercorns
>> 3-4 all spice powder
>> 1 tsp oregano
>> Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
>> Pour boiling water over onions and keep aside for 15 minutes
>> Drain and rinse the onions under fresh running water
>> In a bowl, mix lemon juice with orange juice, apple cider vinegar, water, jalapeno,
peppercorn, whole spice powder, oregano, salt and pepper
>> Add blanched onions to this and mix well
>> Transfer the pickle into a sterilised glass jar and refrigerate it for eight hours before serving
>> Use up the pickle within three weeks from making

Ethiopian Spicy Okra Pickle

Ingredients
>> 1 kg okra
>> 4-5 green chillies
>> 2 jalapeno, cut lengthwise
>> 4 sprigs dill
>> 1 tsp cumin seeds
>> 1 tsp fennel seeds
>> 1 tsp coriander seeds
>> 2 tbsp salt
>> 3 tbsp sugar
>> 3 cups water
>> 2 ½ cups of white vinegar

Method:
>> In a saucepan, mix white vinegar with water
>> Add sugar, salt, cumin, fennel and coriander seeds to it and bring the mixture to a boil
>> Remove from fire and stir in the dill sprigs, chillies and okra
>> Allow the pickle to come down to room temperature and stock it in an airtight container
>> Refrigerate and consume within two weeksu00a0