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Pikliz
Fiery Haitian pickled cabbage, carrot, onion and scotch bonnet in lime and vinegar (ready in 1 day, best after 3)
Pikliz is the fiery slaw-pickle that sits on every Haitian table, in a big glass jar in the middle, and no plate of fried food in Haiti is served without it: it's spooned over fried plantain (bannann peze), fritters and rice. Shredded cabbage, carrot, onion and peppers are packed with hot scotch bonnets, cloves and peppercorns, then drowned in vinegar and lime. After a few days it is crunchy, sour and properly hot, and the vinegar itself becomes a hot sauce you sprinkle over everything. Chef's tip: slice the scotch bonnets thinly rather than leaving them whole; the heat spreads evenly through the jar and every forkful has a kick.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz white cabbage, 2 carrots, 1 onion or 3 shallots, ½ red or green pepper, 4 scotch bonnet peppers and 3 cloves garlic in a large bowl. Wear gloves for the scotch bonnets and don't touch your face. Sprinkle with 1 ½ tsp salt and toss well with your hands.
5 minStep 2: Pack the vegetables tightly into a clean 1-litre jar, scattering 6 whole cloves and 1 tsp black peppercorns between the layers and pressing down as you go.
Step 3: Mix 1 ¾ cups white vinegar with ¼ cup lime juice and pour it in until the vegetables are completely covered; push them down with a spoon to release air bubbles. A common mistake is leaving vegetables poking above the liquid: they go soft and can spoil. Top up with more vinegar if needed.
Step 4: Close the jar and leave it at room temperature for 24 hours, then keep it in the fridge. It's ready to eat after a day, but at its best after 3 days, when the cabbage is crunchy-tender and the vinegar is fiery. It keeps for a month in the fridge.
1440 minStep 5: Lift out with a clean fork, letting the vinegar drip back. Serve with fried plantain, fritters, rice and beans, or legim, and top up the jar with fresh vegetables as you eat it down.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 20 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pikliz take?
- About 25 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- 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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