Food Product Design: World Fare - November 2000 - Pickle in the Middle

November 2000


Pickle in the Middle

By:Susheela Uhl
Contributing Editor

Consumed in India since ancient times and eaten by Cleopatra for power, pickles are known by many names — acar, kimchi, seviche, borshch, piccalilli, escabeche, sauerkraut or turshi. Many cultures enjoy pickles’ pungent, hot, tangy or sweet flavors as essential meal accompaniments. Pickles perk up a range of dishes, soups and breads, are eaten as snacks or served as nibbles with drinks.

Pickling began as a method of preserving vegetables, fruits, fish or meats through salting and natural fermentation. Today, rice wine, vinegar, red wine, cider vinegar, lime or lemon juice — whose acidity prevents microbes from growing and enzymatic reactions from occurring — along with salt, are essential in pickle manufacture.

Many different foods are pickled throughout the world and seasonings used include sugar, mustard seeds, sliced ginger, cumin, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic, turmeric, celery seeds, cinnamon stick, shallots, black peppercorns, bay leaf, asafetida and mustard oil.

Throughout Asia, pickles are a "must" with meals. The well-known Korean kimchi typically contains cabbage, dried chilies, spring onions, fermented anchovies, garlic and ginger. However, there are many kimchi variations, with radish (kkaktugi), stuffed cucumber (oisobagi), gingko, pine nuts or abalone. Japan has pickled eggplant (nasu no shiomomi), garlic, daikon, mixed vegetables and ginger, which can all be seasoned with mirin, rice vinegar, young ginger, miso, sake and sugar. In China, pickled cabbage, radish, carrot, garlic, eggs and cucumber are commonly flavored with ginger root, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and red chilies.

Pickles are also popular in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, mustard greens, spring onions, bean sprouts, carrots, radishes and cabbages are used. In Malaysia and Singapore, acar, made from carrots, radish, pineapple, cucumber, bean sprouts and flavored with turmeric, shallot, ginger root, garlic and chilies, is commonly eaten. The Malays introduced a version of acar to South Africa, atjar, made of vegetables and unripened fruits preserved in a spice-oil mixture.

Pickles are also essential condiments in India, where one can find green mangoes (urukai), green chilies and limes (nimbu). In North India, flaky breads are enjoyed with cauliflower, carrot and turnip pickles. In the south, in Kerala, pickled pork and lamb are seasoned with black peppercorns, garlic, chilies, cinnamon, fenugreek, cumin, brown mustard seed, ginger and turmeric.

Middle Eastern pickles, turshis, contain green beans, green tomato, carrot, cucumber, cauliflower, celery, cherry, peach or sweet green chilies. Pickled lemon (lomoon makbous) is added to chicken tagines, salads, dishes and other dishes to balance their rich tastes.

In Latin America, pickled onions, habaneros, jalapeños or serranos are seasoned with garlic, black pepper, onion, canela, thyme, Mexican oregano and ginger and used as table condiments or as garnishes for salads, enchiladas or other tortilla products. In the Caribbean, pickled pigs feet, beef tongue, fish, breadfruit, salted cod, onions, cucumbers, habaneros, limes or sweet peppers perk up dishes, or are eaten as escabeches.

U.S. pickle varieties include bread and butter, chow chow and piccalli. These contain beets, mushroom, watermelon rind, chile peppers, cucumbers, horseradish or dill, seasoned with onions, dry mustard, allspice, clove, cinnamon, turmeric, onions, mustard and celery seeds.

Susheela Uhl is president of Horizons Inc., a Mamaroneck, NY-based food consulting firm. She develops ethnic and fusion products, provides information on spices and other flavorings, and gives presentations exploring culinary trends and the factors contributing to their emergence. She can be reached via e-mail at SUhl246@aol.com or by visiting www.SusheelaConsulting.com.

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