Torshi Liteh - Persian Pickled Eggplant and Vegetables with Sibzamini Torshi (Sunchokes)

ترشی - Torshi (pickle) is a very common side dish in Persian cuisine served alongside rice and khoresh, kebobs and other traditional dishes. I have posted several of my favorite pickle recipes so far, such as pickled eggplant and pickled vegetables, among others.  لیته - Liteh is a combination of pickled eggplant with a few other vegetables and herbs. For this recipe, I'm thrilled to have finally found  سیب زمینی ترشی - sibzamini torshi (pickling potato), also known as یارالماسی - yaralmasy in Iran. Sibzamini torshi, which is called sunchokes/Jerusalem chokes, is a member of the sunflower family and is not related to artichokes nor is it from Jerusalem. For further information, please check out the following link on sunchokes.

A few years ago, I asked my younger brother, who lives in Iran, to send me a picture of the sibzamini torshi that's cultivated in Iran. I didn't want to forget what they looked like. It wasn't until recently that, after leaving my dentist's office, I walked into the Whole Foods market across the street, and there among the neat and organized fresh vegetables was a small box of sunchokes. They looked a lot like ginger roots and they came in different shapes and sizes. I was so excited to have finally found what I was looking for and I figured they would make a nice addition to torshi liteh by adding

a nutty flavor and a bit of a crunch.

 If you are unable to find sunchokes in any vegetable markets, just leave them out since liteh is traditionally made without them. For this recipe, you can use grilled eggplant instead of having it simmered in vinegar. If you use grilled eggplant, remove the skin, slice it, and combine it with all the other ingredients. For the herbs, you can use fresh herbs if you prefer. I used dried herbs since I didn't have enough time after washing to lay them out to dry completely.

Torshi Liteh

Ingredients:

5 medium eggplants, stemmed, sliced lengthwise (I didn't remove the skin, you can if you prefer)
4-5 sunchokes, peeled, cubed
2 large carrots, peeled, cubed
2 celery stalks, diced small
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 medium green bell pepper, cleaned, cubed
5-7 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons dried tarragon
2 tablespoons dried mint
2 tablespoons dried savory
2 tablespoons dried dill
2 tablespoons dried basil

1 tablespoon crushed golpar (angelica)
1 tablespoon siah daneh (nigella seeds)
1 tablespoon crushed tokhm-e geshniz (coriander seeds)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 small whole dried red pepper, crushed (or more to taste)
Salt
White vinegar

Method:

1. Pour 1 cup of vinegar and a cup of water into a non-reactive saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, add the turmeric, eggplant, and 1 teaspoon of salt, then reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
2. Remove the eggplant and place it in a colander to drain.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggplant, sunchokes, carrots, celery, cauliflower, bell pepper, garlic, herb mix, spices, and 3 teaspoons salt. Mix well.
4. Pack the torshi into the clean and dried jars, pressing down, and pour the vinegar over them up to about 1 inch from the top. Close the jars tightly and pickle for 10-12 days.

Enjoy!

Torshi Piaz - Pickled Red Onions and Pickled Small White Onions

This quick ترشی پیاز torshi-e piaz is easy to make and doesn't require a long aging process before they can be eaten. Torshi is a very popular condiment that is served along with meals at lunch or dinner. There are almost as many different torshi varieties as there are popular vegetables and some pickles are made with more than one kind of vegetable. For example, the Iranian-style vegetable pickle recipe (torshi makhloot) calls for eight different vegetables that are cut into tiny pieces combined with many fresh and/or dried herbs and spices. There is also torshi miveh (fruit torshi), my mother's special recipe that's made with many different fruits and vegetables and is the only torshi that tastes a bit sweet because of the addition of dates and a piece of nabat (rock candy). Torshi is mostly made with vinegar and the taste is rather "torsh" (sour), hence the name. I find pickling very enjoyable and rather calming. Perhaps because it's not an everyday activity like cooking or maybe it's the idea of preservation that's appealing or simply the fact that torshi is delicious and irresistible.

Onions are widely used in Iranian cuisine. Usually, making piaz dagh (fried onions) is the first thing I do when I start to cook any kind of khoresh. Fried onions are also used as a garnish for ash (hearty soups) and some rice dishes. Onions are also served freshly sliced or sectioned with main dishes such as chelo kabab, lamb stew (abgoosht) and most rice and khoresh varieties for lunch. Sauteed, caramelized, pickled, or raw onions absolutely enhance the flavors of most dishes and are essential in cooking.

Thinly sliced, gorgeous pickled red onions and the petite pearly white pickled onions would make a good substitute for the raw onion that many of us grew up with and still enjoy (mostly on weekends).

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds medium red onions, peeled, thinly sliced
3-4 cups white distilled vinegar
2 tablespoons dried tarragon (tarkhoon)
1 tablespoon dried savory (marzeh)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds (tokhm-e geshniz)
1 tablespoon crushed angelica (golpar)
1 tablespoon nigella seeds (siah daneh) *optional
1 red hot dried pepper
3 tablespoons salt

Method:

1. In a small bowl combine dried tarragon, savory, coriander seeds, crushed angelica and nigella seeds. 
2. Pour vinegar in a non-reactive pot, place on the stove and bring to a gentle simmer on medium-low heat.
3. Stir in the spice mix, add the red pepper and let it gently simmer for about five minutes.
4. Place the sliced onions in the pot with vinegar and spices, add salt, gently stir with a wooden spoon, simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let vinegar cool to room temperature.
6. Pour the onions and vinegar into a clean and dry glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Make sure all ingredients are covered by vinegar. Add more vinegar if needed. Close the lid tightly.
7. Store in a dry and cool place.
8. This pickle is ready in 2-3 days.

***

Pickled Small White Onions

For pickled white onions, you may use the same spices listed in the above recipe and a pinch of turmeric for a tastier torshi. However, if you would like the onions to maintain their color, here's a simpler recipe with only a few ingredients.

Pickled Small White Onions

Ingredients:

1 pound small white onions, trim both ends of onions and peel
3-4 cups white distilled vinegar
3 tablespoons salt
1 red hot dried pepper
1 whole fresh tarragon (with leaves attached to stem), washed and placed on a paper towel to completely dry

Method:

1. Bring vinegar to a gentle simmer in a medium non-reactive pot on medium-low heat.
2. Place the onions and the red pepper into the pot, add salt and stir. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
4. Transfer the onions and vinegar into a clean glass jar.  Place the whole tarragon and the pepper in the center of the jar, for easy removal later on. Add more vinegar if needed.
5. Close lid tightly. Keep in a cool and dry place.
6. This pickle is ready in 2-3 days.

Enjoy!

Torshi Anbeh - Pickled Mango

This is a quick, simple and sumptuous torshi (pickle) that is served as a side for any rice and stew dishes. Serving a variety of pickles and relishes with main courses is a major part of the Iranian cuisine. In our home torshi making was an annual summer ritual for my mother and our hayat (yard) would be filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, tomatoes, limes and unripe sour grapes to juice. Years later, when I met my husband, I was happy to find out that in their home his father was in charge of making torshi and that he had designated a special place in the basement of his home to place the large clay jars used to preserve the pickles!  I knew then that I'd met someone who also has the love of torshi in his genes! There's nothing like homemade pickles where you use fresh ingredients and favorite spices and adjust the seasonings to your liking. There are the common and popular pickles such as the eggplant pickle, mixed vegetable pickle and the garlic pickle, not to mention my favorite fruit pickle that I have written about in the past.

Today's recipe is ترشی انبه  torshi anbeh (pickled mango) which I've grown to adore mostly in recent years. Mangoes make great pickles. They are soft, smooth, juicy and quite tasty. I like to maintain the color and the texture of mango while it gently simmers in tamarind infused sauce, spices, dried red pepper and garlic cloves and vinegar, until all the complex and different flavors come together nicely. I didn't chop the garlic and the peppers into pieces and chose to leave them whole. We don't want them to overpower the taste and also this way they would be easier to take out when serving.

Torshi Anbeh - Pickled Mango

Ingredients:

4 firm ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed

4-5 whole garlic cloves, peeled

Juice of a lemon/lime

3 tablespoons tamarind sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon golpar (angelica), crushed

1/2 teaspoon siah daneh (nigella seeds)

1/2 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds

1-2 dried red peppers

2 cups white vinegar

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Place the mangoes in a bowl, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized heavy pot bring vinegar to a gentle boil over medium-low heat. Add the tomato paste and the tamarind sauce. Stir well.
3. Add the garlic, red pepper and the spices, simmer for 5 minutes over low heat for the flavors to come together. 
4. Add the mangoes to the pot, add salt and cook for 5-7 minutes over medium-low heat, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, turn off the heat.
5. When cool, place the torshi in a washed and clean glass jar. Make sure all ingredients are covered by vinegar. Add more vinegar if needed. Refrigerate or keep in a cool and dry place. This pickle is ready to serve the next day.

 This is a delicious side to serve with your favorite food.

Enjoy!

Torshi-e Miveh & Sabzi - Maman's Pickled Fruit and Vegetables

I am a mother of two amazing daughters, which I am so grateful for, but I am also a daughter and on this mother's day, like many others, I'll be thinking about my own Maman, our strong bond and my many sweet memories of her. In my heart of hearts I remain that little girl whose mom would ever so patiently comb her curly knotted hair in elementary school (dabestan) before going to school each morning, no matter how old I'd get! She gave it all so selflessly without ever asking for anything in return and that's how she lived her life to the end. This was her motto, "Do your best. Give it all and do good at all times, unconditionally and with no expectations." I'm yet to master that...

This fruit and vegetable pickle is one of her many recipes. A hand-written copy of it was recently found among her papers, books and photos, which is quite unusual for she had never wrote any recipes down due to her extraordinary memory. I like to think that she wrote it down for me perhaps, with the intention to pass it down and share it with others someday. Now, for this Mother's Day, I would like to write about one of her favorite recipes that she had titled as: "It's food as well as medicine," (ham ghazast va ham davast).

There are many fruits and vegetables that are great for making pickles. I've written about Vegetable Pickle before, however this is basically a fruit pickle with the addition of a few veggies. I tried to be true to the recipe and to not change anything. Maman's recipe, however, called for some fruits that are not in season right now such as, quince and persimmon, which I skipped and used kiwi and green bell pepper instead. You can pick and choose among the abundance of  delicious, gorgeous and nutritious fruits and vegetables.
These days, discovering a good vegetable market is as exciting and as fun as going to a jewelery store or being on a treasure hunt!

        

Torshi-e Miveh & Sabzi - Maman's Pickled Fruit and Vegetables

Ingredients:

Wash, clean and dry all fruit and vegetables in advance and then cut them into tiny pieces. I reduced the amount to make it simpler, so if you like you can easily double the amount.

1 large orange
1 large apple
1 large pear
1 large tangerine
1 mango (wasn't in the recipe but I had to add one)
1 large quince (not in season, didn't use)
2 persimmons (not in season, didn't use)
2 bananas
2-3 kiwis (wasn't mentioned in the recipe but I happened to have a few)
2-3 nectarines
2-3 plums
2-3 apricots (not in season yet, did not use)

10 dates, seeded and chopped
5 walnuts, chopped

1 medium eggplant
1 medium green bell pepper
1 small turnip (shalgham), grated
1-2 large carrots, shredded
1-2 celery ribs
1 cup of cauliflower florets

1 teaspoon black seeds
1 teaspoon crushed angelica (golpar)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon savory leaves
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
Salt to taste

1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tablespoons crushed rock candy (or 2 tablespoons of honey)
3-4 cups vinegar, add enough to cover everything

Method:

1. Place all the finely chopped  fruits, vegetables, dried herbs and spices in a large heavy-bottomed non-reactive to acid pan and place it on medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes. Turn the heat very low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until all ingredients are soft but not mushy. There's no need to add water, they'll cook in their own natural juices.
2. Add walnuts,dates, tamarind, rock candy and vinegar. Mix well.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Spoon the pickles into sterilized canning jars (I used a 1 1/2 liter jar and a 1/2 litter jar)
6. Close lid and let cool to room temperature.
7. Store in a cool and dry place or refrigerate. 

This torshi is ready in two weeks and could be served with most Persian dishes.

I've never gotten used to the water bath canning method that is commonly used here. I still make pickles the old-fashioned way, the way that was done back home by my mother and my grandmothers without the water bath. But I do wash the cans thoroughly with soap and hot water before using them. For canning and sterilization tips please see the following link.

Enjoy! Happy Mother's Day!

Seer Torshi - Pickled Garlic

The other day, I stopped at a new grocery store on my way home. I had no plans to make سیرترشی garlic pickles, but I was excited to see these clean garlic bulbs without the dusty stems at the end. That meant I didn't have to wash them and risk getting the moisture in between the cloves. I only needed to remove the loose and dried outer layers as much as possible. I think a jar of pickled garlic makes a delicious display on the kitchen counter, especially if you use white vinegar so that you see the inside of the jar. But of course, we need to put these pickles away in a cool and dark place to ferment. Don't you love the flavor of garlic in most dishes such as yogurt, chicken, fish, lamb, beef, and vegetables?

My mother not only used garlic generously in cooking to spice up the food, but she also used it for its medicinal purposes to cure our coughs and colds. She would also have her daily dose of garlic to maintain her blood pressure and keep it low. I use a few cloves in recipes that call for garlic and always have my seer torshi jars. I usually make a jar with peeled cloves and also a jar with separated but unpeeled cloves. The older garlic pickles get the better they taste. Garlic becomes soft and sweet, and they melt in your mouth like jam.

Seer Torshi - Pickled Garlic

Ingredients:

8 fresh garlic bulbs, clean the roots, and remove the papery skin 

3 cups white wine vinegar or white vinegar

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon honey or grape molasses

Method:

1. Place garlic into a completely clean and dry glass jar. 
2. Add salt and honey to the vinegar in a separate glass bowl. Mix well. 
3. Pour the vinegar mixture over the garlic in the canning jar, leaving 1-inch headspace, and tightly seal the jar with a lid. 
4. Place in a cool and dark place. 
5. They'll be ready to serve after a couple of years so that they can age, and the seven-year seer torshi is known for its delicious taste.

Enjoy seer torshi with your favorite food. I like to serve it along with abgoosht, lamb shanks, and lima beans rice (shevid baghali polow), and eggplant dishes.

Enjoy!

Torshi Bademjan - Quick Pickled Eggplant

I grew up eating torshi with my meal. I make pickles all the time and I have several jars of torshi stored away in a cool place. I adore pickled eggplant as well. My mother was an avid torshi maker. Every time she came here to visit making ترشی بادمجان pickled eggplant was one of the very first things she did. She believed eating torshi with your meal enhance the flavor of food and health benefits. My mother's pickled eggplant recipe is one of my favorite torshi recipes. It's an easy and quick way to make torshi-e bademjan. This torshi does not require a long time to ferment. In fact it is ready to be served in a couple of days.

Torshi Bademjan - Quick Pickled Eggplant

Ingredients:

5 small eggplant, rinse and dry (you don't need to peel them, just make a long cut on the side of each eggplant)
5-7 garlic cloves, peeled, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon turmeric *optional
2-3 tablespoons salt
2-3 small dried red hot peppers
1 teaspoon angelica powder (golpar)
1 teaspoon nigella seeds (siah-daneh)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds (tokhm-e geshneez)
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 tablespoon dried mint
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
White vinegar
Water

Method:

1. Mix all the dried ingredients together in a small bowl. 
2. Place 2-3 garlic clove halves in each eggplant with some of the dried herb and spice mixture. 
3. In a large heavy bottomed pot, combine 2 cups of vinegar and 1 cup of water over a medium-low heat.
4. Place the eggplant in the pot, sprinkle the remaining spices over the eggplant, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the eggplant is fully cooked. 
5. Let it completely cool before transferring them into clean glass jars. Add more vinegar and salt if needed. 
6. Store in a cool place. This pickled eggplant will be ready to eat after 2-3 days.

Enjoy!

Torshi Makhloot - Persian Mixed Vegetable Pickle

ترشی مخلوط  Torshi (pickled vegetables) are the perfect tangy, crunchy, and flavorful accompaniment to Persian dishes, such as abgousht (lamb soup), kababs, kotlets, and polow & khoresh (rice and stew). There are many varieties of torshi, but this torshi makhloot is a classic blend of fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs, spices, and vinegar.

Torshi Makhloot - Mixed Vegetable Pickle

Ingredients

-3 large carrots, washed, peeled, finely chopped or shredded
-2 medium eggplants, peeled, diced

-2 green bell peppers, washed, cleaned, and diced
-1 small cauliflower, washed, finely chopped

-1 small head of celery, washed and finely chopped

-1/2 cup shredded white cabbage

-Fresh herbs (1 cup each): parsley, coriander, dill, washed, dried, and finely chopped

-Additional herbs (2 tablespoons each fresh or dried tarragon, mint, basil

-2 tablespoons dried lime powder (limoo amani)
-2 tablespoons crushed angelica (golpar)

-2 tablespoons nigella seeds (siah daneh)
-2 tablespoons fennel seeds (razianeh)

2 tablespoons coriander seeds (tokhm-e geshneez)
-7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-4 tablespoons salt

-2 red hot peppers, dried or fresh, chopped
-1 teaspoon turmeric 

5-7 cups white vinegar

Method

1. Prepare eggplants: sprinkle with salt and either bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20- 25 minutes, or cook with 1/2 cup of water over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Make sure all herbs and vegetables are completely dry before mixing. Spread washed herbs on a tablecloth for several hours to air-dry.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all vegetables, herbs, and spices; mix well.
4. Using a wooden spoon, pack the mixture into clean glass jars. Pour additional vinegar if needed to cover the vegetables completely. 
5. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt into each jar before closing the lid tightly.
6. Store jars in a cool, dry place for at least 2 weeks before serving.  

Enjoy!