Pickled Ginger. With Chilli.

Sweet tangy pickled ginger with a dash of heat.

Ingredients:

• 8 to 9 ounce (250 grams) piece of fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup (25o mls) rice wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) white sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 mls) water
• 1/2 large red chilli, finely sliced

– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients – 

Equipment:

• Small saucepan
• 4 to 5 x 1/2 cup canning jars
• Mandoline, vegetable peeler or small sharp knife
• Sieve and paper towels

Directions:

First we need to peel and slice our ginger. The easiest and most economical way to peel is using a spoon. I find it easiest to use a small spoon and draw it towards me, but do whatever is comfortable.

You will need a small knife for awkward corners or tough edges. When the ginger is peeled, slice it as thin as you can. A mandoline is ideal for this, but you can also use a vegetable peeler.

Put the slices in a bowl and sprinkle the salt over them.

Toss to distribute the salt and transfer the slices to a sieve to drain. Leave them for 30 to 45 minutes.

When the salted ginger has had a bit of time out, pat it dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.

Sterilise your jars. Because we are using so few, heat them in boiling water for 10 minutes along with their lids.

Use tongs to remove them and let them dry. Pack the ginger slices in the warm jars.

Put the vinegar, sugar, water and sliced ginger into a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves then bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the ginger slices to cover completely. Give them a little tap on the bench to make sure there are no air bubbles hiding. Top up the brine so that there is a 1/4 inch clearance at the top.

Wipe the rims of the jars and cover with lids. Leave to cool before transferring to the fridge for 36 hours before using.

Cook’s Notes:

• If you’re not a fan of chilli, by all means leave it out. Experiment with other flavours to infuse in the brine, like herbs or spices.
• Remember to keep this in the fridge as it is technically a quick pickle. Because it’s ready to eat quickly make smaller batches more often.
• Slice as thinly as possible so that pieces are tender and not to potent.

 – Pickled ginger will keep in the fridge for 6 months to a year and the heat will soften over time – 

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman, and The Modern Preserver by Kylee Newton.

© 2017 The Winsome Baker. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.