Chili Pickle

When I think of special foods they always go along with memories of special people.  People who I have lived with and cooked with, shared meals with on festive or every-day occasions, or who I learned a particular recipe from. 

I learned this favourite recipe for Chili Pickle (a hot pepper-garlic condiment) from my dear friend Taarini, who made it with her mother in India (who probably made it with her mother in India).  It is a great way to use up huge amounts of hot peppers and garlic in the fall, and is a very simple method of oil preserving with no canning involved.  Now I make a big batch of this chili pickle every single year to preserve my harvest, and always think of my friend.  If you have been getting our veggie boxes you will likely have a stockpile of hot peppers by now!  Here is a way to use them up.  The recipe can be adjusted to size based on how many hot peppers you have available.

Taarini’s Chili Pickle
2 kg hot peppers (chilies or jalapenos are best)
6 cups olive oil
8 inches ginger root, grated
48 cloves garlic
4 Tbsp cumin seed
4 Tbsp fenugreek seeds
4 Tbsp mustard seeds (black mustard)
4 cups vinegar (I prefer apple cider vinegar)
4 tsp haldi (turmeric)
4 tsp sea salt
4 Tbsp cane sugar

Method:
1) Remove stems and seeds from hot peppers.  Grate ginger and peel garlic cloves.
2) Mix all ingredients in a large bowl thoroughly.  Then blend in small batches in a food processor.
3) Store in 250 ml jars, filling jars with chili pickle mixture leaving 1 inch headspace.  Then top each jar with about 1 inch of olive oil to cover mixture completely and preserve it.
4) Label jars and store in cool cupboard or root cellar.
5) Once opened the jars need to be refrigerated.
6) Serve with rice, on burgers, as a condiment or pickle for charcuterie, etc