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Curtido
Salvadoran pickled cabbage, carrot and onion relish with oregano and a little chilli
No plate of pupusas in El Salvador arrives without a jar of curtido beside it: a tangy, crunchy slaw of cabbage, carrot and onion lightly pickled in vinegar with Mexican oregano. Pupuserías keep a big jar on every table, and the sharpness cuts through melted cheese and corn perfectly. It's also good with beans, tacos or a cheese sandwich. Chef's tip: make it a day ahead; it is crisp and raw on day one but turns mellow and properly pickled by day two.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb white cabbage in a large heatproof bowl and pour over 4 ¼ cups boiling water. Leave for 1 minute only, then drain well in a colander. This softens the raw edge but the cabbage should still squeak when you bite it.
2 minStep 2: Toss the drained cabbage with 2 carrots, ½ red onion and 1 jalapeño or other green chilli.
Step 3: Whisk ¾ cup white or apple cider vinegar, ½ cup cold water, 1 ½ tsp dried oregano, ideally Mexican, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar until the salt dissolves. Rub the oregano between your palms as it goes in to wake up its smell.
Step 4: Pour over the vegetables, toss, then pack into a clean jar or tub, pressing down so the liquid comes up around the cabbage. Common mistake: leaving the cabbage in boiling water too long; it goes limp and never regains its crunch.
Step 5: Chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. It keeps for a week in the fridge; use clean tongs each time.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 35 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does curtido take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white cabbage?
- Savoy or spring greens, same weight.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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