Recipe: Chow-Chow, (Chinese Piccalilli)

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Description/Notes:

Chow-Chow is a thick piccalilli of Chinese origin: it’s outstanding characteristic is not only that it always contains celery, but that you probably have the only one available for consumption in your neighborhood

Ingredients:

1 lb. (450g) cucumber

1 lb. (450g) onions

1 lb. (450g) green tomatoes

1 lb. (450g) French beans

1 lb. (450g) cauliflower

1 lb. (450g) chopped celery

1 lb. (450g) shredded cabbage

8 oz. (225g) sugar

3 oz. (75g) mustard

2oz. (50g) flour

half an ounce (12g) turmeric

2 pints (1140ml) spiced vinegar, preferably aromatic, but certainly not hot spice

brine (standard brine is made by using half a pound of salt to 3 pints of water)

Cooking Instructions:

1. The weights are for prepared vegetables, which should be cut or broken into small pieces
2. Place the vegetables in a deep bowl and brine in a standard brine, using a pint of brine per pound of vegetables, for twenty four hours
3. Drain well, and cover with unspiced vinegar for 12 hours
4. Mix the mustard, sugar, flour and turmeric into a paste, bring the rest of the vinegar to the boil and stir in the paste, then add the vegetables, which must have been drained from the vinegar-bath
5. Simmer for 20 minutes, then fill into warmed jars
6. Owing to the double vinegar this recipe keeps very well