One of my favorite Indian take-out places in New York makes a vibrant magenta onion and beet pickle they include with every order. It’s a bit unexpected, but aside from being a visual contrast from the earthy tones of Indian food, it provides a sweet and tangy flavor contrast that’s marvelous with a fiery Vindaloo.
I actually contemplated ordering a container of just the pickles to keep around for other uses, but then it occurred to me that I probably had all the ingredients I’d need to make them myself. The process is utterly simple and if you’re in a hurry, you’ll have pickles you can serve in under an hour.
I deliberately made these rather neutral in flavor (i.e. no spices) so they would work with all kinds of food. Try them with Indian food, or put them in a banh mi, heck, try brighten up your next platter of charcuterie with these tasty pickles.
Ingredients
- 2 sweet onions medium shredded on a mandoline
- 1 beet small shredded on a mandoline
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (halve if using regular salt)
- handful cilantro of chopped
Steps
- Salt the onions and beets and let them stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Squeeze as much liquid as you can out of both the beets and onions, then add them to a bowl along with the vinegar, honey, salt and cilantro.
- The pickles are best after pickling for at least a day, and they will keep in the fridge for a very long time.
Love the colors and it looks very refreshing!
I recently developed a taste for pickled vegetables as a side dish or garnish to spicy or fatty meals. Such a nice balance…and they’re generally a colorful addition to the plate. Very nice, Marc.
love how the beet ‘stains’ everything such a beautiful shade of fuschia. reminds me of the Zuni pickle.
A good pickle has so many uses away from curries…As suggested by Joan below. This one looks super.
Oh, lovely! Have you tried adding a bit of mustard seed to this pickle? I find it complements beet and onion quite well (I just eat my beet and onion pickle with sausages and bread).
Oh, yum!
ps…just voted for you in the FB challenge! 🙂
This looks great – got to love that brilliant colour!
always wondered how it was made thanks a lot it is yummy
Is the beet cooked or raw?
It’s pickled, so not quite raw, but there’s no cooking involved.
Is this fermented pickled beets and onion?
Nope, these are quick pickles. To make fermented pickles you typically just salt vegetables and the fermentation process creates the sour taste.
Do you start with a raw beet? Or is it already pickled before you mandolin it?
Hi JudyK, I start with raw beet.