Thai Pickled Shallots
Easy pickled shallots with a Thai flavour. Slice thinly & add to salads or as a garnish for all types of South-East Asian dishes.
As with all preserves containing vinegar, use plastic-lined lids or jars which have glass lids & rubber seals.
Ingredients
- 2-4 red chillies
- 500 g shallots, skinned weight after preparation
- 5 cloves garlic skinned & sliced thinly
- 5 cm ginger root, skin scraped off cut into thick slices
- 2 stalks lemon grass cut in half lengthways
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- ½ a lime: zest only, thinly peeled use 4 kaffir lime leaves instead if you have them
- 2 tsp salt
- 50 g sugar
- 600 ml mild vinegar e.g. cider, white wine, , rice or white distilled vinegar minimum acidity 5%
- 1 tbsp coriander leaf roughly chopped
Instructions
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Heat the oven to its lowest setting.
Wash your jar/jars and lid/s in hot soapy water, rinse and drain, then place on a baking tray in the oven.
Turn the oven off when the jars are hot, but leave in the oven until you're ready to pot the shallots.
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If you want a very hot pickle, use 4 chillies and leave the seeds in: prick with a cocktail stick so the heat can permeate.
Otherwise: slice 2 chillies lengthwise, scrape out and discard the seeds.
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Put the prepared shallots, chillies and garlic into a large saucepan and cover with boiling water from a kettle.
Bring up to the boil and cook rapidly for 2 min.
Drain and rinse under cold running water. Leave to drain again.
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Transfer the shallots to a large clean bowl, leaving the chillies and garlic behind for now.
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Put the ginger, lemon grass, coriander seeds, lime zest or lime leaves, salt, sugar and vinegar in the now empty saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then immediately turn the heat to low and simmer for 4 minutes.
Return the chillies and garlic to the pan along with the chopped coriander. Simmer for 1 minute then take off the heat.
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Drain the contents of the saucepan through a sieve over a jug, making sure you keep all the liquid.
Take out the ginger slices and discard.
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Mix the contents of the sieve (chilli, garlic, lemon grass etc.) with the shallots.
Pack the shallots and seasonings into the hot jar / jars and pour over enough of the reserved vinegar to cover.
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Put on the lid/s and leave in a cool dark place for 3 months before using.
Recipe Notes
If you have any pickling liquor left over, make a quick onion pickle by placing thinly sliced onions in a clean jar and pouring the liquor over them. Ready to use when cold. Should keep at least 3 days in the fridge.