Pickled vegetables are featured in foods from a whole host of countries. From the British pickled onion, to the German sauerkraut and Malaysian atjar, everyone loves a good pickle. Korea in this respect is no exception – a meal without kimchi or a side dish like oi muchim is almost unthinkable. But did you know these could be easily made at home?
Above: An example of some Korean kimchi
Ingredients
- Sturdy vegetable of choice (e.g. red onions, cucumbers, carrots) cut into sticks or in the case of the onion, thin rounds
- Aromatics* (optional)
- Water
- White vinegar
Method
- Cut your vegetables if required and place them into a glass jar
- Place equal parts vinegar and water in a saucepan
- For every 100g of pickling liquid, add 5g of salt to the mixture
- Add any whole spice, fresh herb or aromatic of your choice to the saucepan
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately kill the heat
- Pour the mixture, including the aromatics, over the vegetables in the jar until they are covered and submerged
- Let this cool until room temperature and then refrigerate
There are a whole variety of combinations you could try. For example, onions pickled with mustard seeds, garlic, ginger, chilies and bay leaves. Of course, you can infuse Korean inspired flavours too such as gochugara and a rice vinegar instead of white. You can add these to anything too – a main meal, a bibimbap, a sandwich or just as a snack! The opportunities for delicious pickled goods are limitless, and make for an excellent addition to any fridge.
