No one can deny their pickle obsession, especially regarding their tanginess and crunch. These pickled spices have topped and broadened everyone’s taste buds, whether be it with any foods, veggies or even simply as lonesome snacks.
There is not a single recipe for pickled spices. You can craft your customizable homemade pickling spice from the traditional method of classically pickled veggies to any new herbs to enhance the richness. The pickled spices are simply the essential foundation to add extra flavor to any vegetable you are trying to pickle.
Depending on your taste, one can use the freedom to mix the flavors and match them to the vegetable of your liking. Your pickled spices can be a mix of dried spices to create an aromatic blend. Usually, you keep this in a coarse combination to release flavors, and if you are looking to preserve it for extended periods, you soak it in vinegar.
Pickled Spices Recipe
Almost every pickled spices follow the same rough line of ingredients to create a base. You can make it from scratch by combining the lists of herbs and spices. When it comes to pickled spices, nothing beats the flavor of homemade spices more than the ones you can find at the store.
After the essential mix is created with sweet and spicy tanginess, you can create an endless combination of flavors. It can be so used as an experiment to find your personalized blend.
Basic Ingredients:
- Bay leaves
- Coriander seeds
- Mustard seeds (yellow or black, any of it that is available)
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Red chilies flakes
- Allspice berries
- Ground ginger powder
Additional Ingredients Add-ons:
- Dill seeds
- Cardamom
- Fennel seeds
- Star anise
- Turmeric powder
- Celery seeds
- Juniper berries
- Whole black peppercorns
Instructions To Prepare Pickling Spices
- In a small bowl, gather all your basic ingredients. Here, put 2 tablespoons of mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon of whole allspice berries, 2 teaspoons of whole coriander seeds, and 6 whole cloves.
- Then, add two cinnamon sticks (make sure you break them into pieces before adding them), followed by two bay leaves (crumble them into pieces before you count), and add a teaspoon full (or more as per your taste) of red chilies flakes.
- Mix them all, or you can shake them to disperse with other spices evenly.
- At last, add a teaspoon of finely grounded ginger powder. This process helps to prevent it from settling at the bottom after the spices are well mixed.
- Store it in an airtight container or a jar in a cool, dry place for up to a month.
How To Use The Pickling Spice?
After you have your spice blend, you should start making liquid brine.
- To make the base of the liquid, you will need a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water.
- In low heat, put the mixture to boil and add two tablespoons full of salt.
- Let it heat and boil until the salt disappears. To make the liquid brine more savory, you can also opt to use white and apple cider vinegar.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of pickling spice as your liquid is boiling.
- Let it cool, and add the liquid brine to a jar with your desired vegetable to be pickled.
- Make sure the jar is airtight, and let the pickle sit for 1-3 days before you open it to eat. While you store it, make sure to avoid direct sunlight or heat levels above room temperature.
Tips And Tricks
- To elevate the flavors of the ingredients, you can initially roast them all in a dry frying pan at low heat for a few minutes.
- You can opt for caraway seeds instead of coriander seeds while making the pickling spices.
- You can also experiment with different amounts of spices to enhance other flavors.
- If you love spiciness, add more red peppers or chilies. However, if you do not like the spicy flavor, you can omit this step to add red chilies.
- If you want enhanced flavors of the pickled spices, store them in an airtight container for an extended period.
- You can also use a mortar and pestle into a fine powder for an intense blend of flavors. Or you can only crack the peppercorns and seeds open.
- When you make the liquid brine, you can add a whole clove of garlic to the jar to give a freshened taste.
- If you are looking for different vegetables to add, you can also opt for okras, carrots, cauliflowers, radishes, zucchini, asparagus, jalapenos, beets, and many more.
Pickled Spices | FAQs
1. Where can you use pickled spices?
Except with pickles, you can use pickling spices as a form of protein which is excellent in soup, stews, and other vegetable broths.
2. Is pickling spices good for your health?
Pickling spices are rich in health benefits as it contains carbohydrates and fiber. Likewise, it has high nutrition concentrations such as potassium, calcium, vitamin K, and C.
Altogether, they possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic properties.
3. How long do pickled spices last?
If properly stored, pickled spices last at their best for about 1-3 years. Often they do not go bad or spoil; however, they will gradually lose their potency if not stored correctly.
4. Is it necessary to sterilize the container to store the pickled spices?
When it comes to the storage of any spices or food, yes, it is a crucial step to sterilize the container. Before storing, ensure to wash the jar with hot water and let it dry in the sun.
5. Where else can you use pickled spices?
Apart from using the pickled spices for pickles, you can also use them for broth in meat, curry, and seasoning. They indeed work as a fantastic spice sachet bag with an aromatic smell.