The best recipes for spicy vegetable pickles for the winter

Autumn is the time to harvest and stock up for the winter. The more varied and delicious the recipes, the better. Today, we'd like to share a recipe that not every housewife knows about: pickled vegetables called pikuli. We'll explore how to prepare pikuli and the best recipe for winter storage below.

The subtleties of making pickles

The following points can be attributed to the peculiarities of preparing pickles:

1. The main distinguishing feature of the recipe, which makes it different from other pickles, is the use of a special marinade, which contains many spices.
2. Vegetables used for preparation are selected to be approximately the same size.
3. If it is not possible to select products of the same size, then a special cutting technique is used.

In world cuisine, there are two known methods of preparing pickles, which are considered traditional:

• Boiling the ingredients until smooth, then marinating the resulting mixture. This method is called chutney;
• The second method involves pre-blanching the ingredients and then marinating them.

The recipe is believed to have originated in India, but the snack gained worldwide fame thanks to the British. It's best to store pickles in small glass jars.

Requirements for the selection of ingredients

Pickles are a unique dish, and their preparation requires a responsible approach to selecting ingredients:

1. This dish is made with small vegetables. If you don't have any and are using a lot of overripe produce, you should cut them into small, uniform-sized pieces.
2. You don't have to use a wide variety of ingredients. Pickles can be made from just one type of vegetable.
3. Be sure to boil foods that have a dense, firm structure, such as corn, carrots or cauliflower.

Please note! The marinade is prepared using a wide variety of spices. The more variety, the better.

How to pickle pickles for the winter

If you want to make pickles for the first time, the following recipes are suitable for you:

• cucumber pickles;
• with radish and pepper;
• vegetable assortment;
• with cherry tomatoes and quail eggs;
• with fruits;
• without sterilization.

Each recipe has a special, piquant taste that you and your loved ones will remember for a long time.

Cucumber pickles

Cucumber pickles are considered a delicious and, at the same time, simple recipe that every housewife can handle.

To prepare pickled cucumbers, we will need:

• onion – 1 kilogram;
• apple cider vinegar – 0.5 liters;
• cucumbers – 1 kilogram;
• granulated sugar – 450 grams;
• salt – 2 tablespoons;
• mustard seeds – 1 tablespoon;
• allspice – 2 teaspoons;
• turmeric – 1 teaspoon.

Preparing vegetables:

• cut the onion into half rings;
• the cucumber is cut into circles;
• Place the chopped vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Add a little cold water and stir;
• we put the vegetables in the refrigerator, under pressure;
• after 3 hours, take out the plate and wash the cucumbers and onions;
• we dry vegetables.

Preparing the marinade:

1. Place the pan on the fire and add vinegar, spices and granulated sugar.
2. Cook the marinade until the granulated sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Add the vegetables to the marinade and simmer for a minute. Be careful not to let the liquid boil.
4. Place the vegetables in sterilized jars and pour the marinade over them.
5. Roll up the jars with a lid and put them in a cool place for a week.
6. After 7 days, the pickles can be eaten.

Pickles with radish and pepper

To prepare the recipe we will need:

• pepper – 2 pieces;
• radish – 0.5 kilograms;
• mustard seeds – 1 tablespoon;
• allspice (peas) – 1 teaspoon;
• granulated sugar – 250 grams;
• salt – 1 tablespoon;
• rice vinegar – 0.5 liters;
• celery seeds – 1 teaspoon.

Preparation: Wash the radishes and peppers thoroughly. If necessary, scrub the radishes with a brush to remove dirt from hard-to-reach areas. Cut the clean vegetables into thin slices, removing the seeds and stems. Bring the marinade to a boil in a saucepan with vinegar, spices, granulated sugar, and salt. Cook until all the sugar and salt are dissolved. Once the marinade is ready, place the vegetables in jars and pour the marinade over them. Seal the jars and store them in a cellar or basement.

Important! When choosing vegetables, try to make the color palette as varied as possible. This will ensure your dish is not only delicious but also beautiful.

Vegetable platter

Pickle recipes don't require a strict list of vegetables that every housewife must adhere to. You can choose various combinations to suit your tastes. The only requirement that applies to all recipes is the size of the ingredients. Cutting the vegetables into small, uniform pieces will help you achieve uniform sizes.

The process for preparing this vegetable platter is identical to the previous recipes, and the ingredients you use will depend on your budget. Remember to use plenty of spices in the marinade and to ensure the vegetables are of uniform size.

With cherry tomatoes and quail eggs

Compound:

• 1 onion;
• 10 quail eggs;
• 300 grams of cherry tomatoes;
• 150 milliliters of water;
• 250 milliliters of apple cider vinegar;
• 150 grams of granulated sugar;
• 1 tablespoon curry;
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds;
• 1 teaspoon of salt;

Recipe:

• boil and peel quail eggs;
• wash the tomatoes;
• cut the onion into half rings;
• distribute the ingredients into jars;
• cook the marinade by adding water, salt, sugar, spices and vinegar to the pan;
• Pour the prepared marinade into jars and put them in the cellar for 7 days.

With fruits

Pickles can be made from more than just vegetables. Fruit pickles are also popular.

To prepare we will need:

• two pears;
• two apples;
• 5 plums;
• a piece of ginger;
• 150 milliliters of water;
• 250 milliliters of apple cider vinegar;
• mint;
• 250 grams of granulated sugar.

Cooking process:

1. We wash the fruits.
2. We remove the cores from the apples and pears and separate the pits from the plums.
3. We cut the fruit into small pieces of the same size.
4. Grate the ginger.
5. Place a saucepan on the fire and add water, vinegar and spices.
6. As soon as the liquid boils, add the fruit to the marinade and cook until all the sugar has dissolved.
7. We place the pickles in sterilized jars and send them to the cellar.
8. The snack will be ready in a week.

Without sterilization

Due to the high vinegar content in the marinade, there's no need to sterilize the jars. The product will remain edible for quite a long time. To be on the safe side, you can rinse the jars with a small amount of vodka, but this isn't necessary. Of course, unsterilized jars will spoil sooner than sterilized ones. However, if you're really short on time, you can skip sterilizing the jars.

Please note! If you're making pickles and don't sterilize your utensils, add a little more vinegar to the marinade. This will help strengthen it and prevent spoilage.

Terms and rules for storing cucumbers

Properly prepared pickles, with sterilized containers, can be stored for up to 1.5 years without losing their flavor or nutritional value. To ensure the dish reaches its full potential, it's recommended to store the jars in the cellar for at least 1 month. This will ensure the ingredients are fully marinated, resulting in a delicious and juicy snack.

If you don't have that much time, let the jars sit for at least 7 days. There's no point in consuming the pickles any sooner. The rest of the process is up to your imagination, and you can experiment with recipes and add new ingredients if you like.