Wednesday, November 11, 2015

How To Choose The Best Pickling Spice Mixtures

By Mattie Knight


Increasing numbers of people are preserving food at home now rather than buying processed foods. Not only is preservation an important way to cut down on waste it is also a great way to stay healthy through the winter months. Making pickles is easy and if you buy prepared pickling spice it is even easier but less versatile. Making your own mix is the best way to please your taste buds.

Many people are coming to the conclusion that industrial foods are harmful when they make up the bulk of the diet. Five minutes online is long enough to see just how many people are looking to the past to regain lost skills in cooking and healthy living. This movement is taking traditional wisdom and updating it for the modern age.

The most popular pickles are usually vegetables but almost anything can be preserved in this way. Meat, fruits, fish, herbs, garlic, ginger and chili can all be turned into flavorful pickles. The basic technique is to create a brine of salt and or vinegar which kills the bacteria in the food. Once prepared some can last for years.

Indian pickles are often made from unripe fruits such as mango and gooseberry. They are extremely pungent and sour. Lots of spices such as mustard seeds, chili, ginger and cumin are added to make astringent foods to go with rice and sweet chutneys such as mango. Eaten together they make a balanced meal.

Depending on preparation they can have a wide variety of health benefits. Fermented pickles are high in bacteria which aid in digestion. Raw ones contain high levels of antioxidants from the fresh produce. All types have different vitamins and minerals and are useful as a source of micro nutrients in cold seasons.

The process can take months or just a few minutes. Quick pickles can be made by heating the solution of vinegar, sugar and spices and then adding vegetables for a few minutes. They are not preserved in the same way and must be eaten straight away but are a lovely was to add acidity to a dish.

Whatever technique you use adding spices will make the result more complex and tasty. Many outlets sell prepared spice mixes especially for pickling and these are a convenient option but lack versatility. For Asian dishes some sort of chili is usually used. They can be either whole or ground and should be used according to your taste.

Prepared mixes do not allow for experimentation or personal preference. If you have lots of spices at home anyway then why not just make your own? This allows you to play around with the flavors and make pickles in any style from around the world. The main thing to bear in mind is that whole spices work better than ground ones.

Using spices when making pickles is a great way to make them more complex and interesting. They come from around the world so the type of cuisine will dictate the use of spices to some extent. A quick pickle solution with just a couple of spices is a handy thing to have in the fridge to make them quickly to accompany dinner.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment