5 Best Recipes for Armenian-Style Pickled Peppers

Spicy Armenian appetizers made with pickled bell peppers are prepared using various recipes, varying the ingredients to create new flavors. The pickled vegetables are served as a standalone appetizer or as a side dish for a main course. These preparations can be made in advance and enjoyed during the colder months.

Specifics of preparing marinade for Armenian peppers

The ingredients for making a marinade depend on the chosen recipe. Standard ingredients include salt, pepper, sugar, and lemon juice. Optionally, you can add chopped garlic, cilantro, parsley, and other herbs. The key feature of marinating is that vegetables can be marinated in their own juices, without adding water. This unique approach results in flavorful and delicious preserves.

However, some recipes still require the use of water, which must be taken into account when cooking.

What varieties of pepper are suitable?

Almost all varieties of peppers, including red and green, can be pickled, but it's important to understand that the flavor characteristics of the prepared product will depend on the variety chosen. It is recommended to use ripe and firm vegetables for preparations, preferably freshly picked.

Selection and preparation of containers

If you plan to preserve the prepared vegetables for the winter, it's best to seal them in appropriately sized glass jars. Before placing the pickled vegetables in the jars, you need to properly prepare them. Wash the jars thoroughly and sterilize them by heating them in water to 60-80 degrees Celsius.

Options for preparing Armenian peppers for the winter

The flavor of bell peppers allows them to be prepared in a variety of ways. Different recipes vary in their preparation nuances, the use of additional ingredients, and the complexity of the preparation. Before you begin preparing your own, it's recommended to familiarize yourself with popular recipes and choose one that suits your preferences and available resources.

The classic version of marinating a whole vegetable

Standard method of preparing the workpiece bell peppers involve pickling the vegetables whole for the winterThe recipe includes the following steps:

1. The peppers are washed thoroughly, and each one is pierced with a pin or needle to preserve its original shape. The washed vegetables are placed in a saucepan and covered with cold water.
2. Place the pan over low heat and bring to a boil, resulting in a blanched texture. Remove the vegetables from the water and transfer them to pre-sterilized containers.
3. Add salt, sugar, oil, and other spices to taste to the water in which the vegetables were boiled to make the marinade. Vinegar is always added before it boils.
4. Once the marinade has boiled, it is poured into jars and sealed with lids. The jars are turned upside down and wrapped until cool, after which they are transferred to a permanent storage location.

Cut the bell pepper into pieces

The recipe for pickling bell pepper slices is simple, and even a novice cook can handle it. To prepare the pickle, follow the steps in the order specified and adhere to the ingredient ratios.

The classic recipe, in addition to the base ingredient, includes a number of spices that add a piquant and aromatic flavor to the appetizer. The preparation process is as follows:

1. Wash the bell peppers and cut them into 3-4 cm wide rings, then cut them lengthwise into halves. Remove all the seeds and trim off the green stems.
2. To prepare the marinade, mix water and salt in a saucepan and bring the solution to a boil over high heat.
3. Place the vegetable pieces in a colander and lower it into the boiling brine. Keep the stove on to ensure the brine continues to simmer.
4. Place the chopped peppers in a colander in the pan for a couple of minutes. Then transfer the vegetables to a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.
5. Place spices, garlic, and vinegar in sterilized glass jars. Then add the vegetable pieces.
6. For the marinade, boil water with sugar and salt, stir thoroughly, and wait until all ingredients are completely dissolved. Pour the hot marinade into the containers with the peppers.
7. The blanks are hermetically sealed with lids, turned upside down and wrapped up, leaving until completely cool.

Add hot pepper

The combination of sweet bell peppers, hot chili pods and tomato juice makes the preparation aromatic and unusual in taste.

To prepare a spicy preparation, follow the step-by-step recipe:

1. Washed bell peppers and hot peppers, remove stems, seeds and internal partitions.
2. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.
3. The hot peppers are removed from the oven and placed in sterilized containers.
4. In a separate container, bring the tomato juice to a boil over medium heat, add the vegetable oil, salt, and sugar. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and simmer the marinade for 10-15 minutes, adding vinegar at the end.
5. The hot marinade is poured over the vegetables in the jars and the jars are hermetically sealed with lids.

Original appetizer "Ram's horn" in oil

The appetizer called "Ram's Horn" is prepared according to a basic recipe and differs only in the ingredients used. To give it a unique flavor, the bell peppers are topped with the Georgian spice utskho-suneli and spicy jalapeño. The bell peppers are pre-slit to allow the marinade to penetrate and are blanched before being placed in the jars.

We fry peppers in Armenian style according to the recipe "Um Otesh"

This recipe calls for pre-frying the peppers over medium heat on each side. You'll know they're done when the vegetables have browned. Fried vegetables are typically marinated whole, so they can be immediately placed in jars with the other ingredients, covered with the prepared marinade, and sealed tightly with lids.

Duration and storage conditions of winter preparations

The shelf life depends on environmental conditions and is 1-3 years. To ensure the safety of winter preparations, they should be placed in a dark, cool place, protected from direct sunlight. The ideal storage temperature should range from 0 to 6 degrees Celsius, with a humidity level of 85-90%. Ideal storage locations include a refrigerator, cupboard, cellar, or pantry. After opening, preserves should be refrigerated for up to a week.