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Sweet Pickled Red Cabbage

This sweet pickled red cabbage is tangy, crunchy & vibrant. The perfect accompaniment to homemade kebabs, sandwiches & salads!
Prep Time20 minutes
Pickling Time1 day
Total Time1 day 20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Turkish
Servings: 8 Portions
Author: Ben Racey

Equipment

  • Medium Saucepan
  • Sieve
  • Airtight Container (See Notes)

Ingredients

  • Half A Red Cabbage Around 500 Grams

Pickle

  • 350 g Red Wine Vinegar See Notes
  • 200 g Water
  • 250 g Caster Sugar
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • ½ Cinnamon Stick
  • 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
  • ½ tsp Pink Peppercorns
  • ¼ tsp Chilli Flakes

Instructions

  • Place all of the pickle ingredients into a saucepan then set over a low heat.
  • Warm the pickle until it is hot & all of the sugar has been dissolved (but don't let it boil) then take off the heat & set aside.
  • Next, discard any withered outer leaves from the half red cabbage then cut in half & trim off the core.
  • Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the cabbage then transfer it into a large jar/pyrex container with a lid.
  • Pass the warm pickle into a jug, through a sieve then pour over the sliced cabbage, making sure that every slice is submerged.
  • Let the cabbage cool to room temperature then cover with a lid & refrigerate for at least a day before using.

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Notes

1. Cabbage - For this recipe, you'll need 500 grams of red cabbage. This equates to half a cabbage. If you'd like to make a large batch of pickled cabbage, feel free to use a whole cabbage instead but make sure to double the amount of pickle as well.
2. Vinegar -  I find that red wine vinegar works best when pickling red cabbage but white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work as well.
3. Container - Make sure that the jar or container that is used to store the cabbage in is clean & sterile. This will help prevent the pickles from going off. A large kilner jar or a pyrex container with a lid is best.
4. Storage - Kept in the fridge, this pickled cabbage will keep for several weeks.
5. Pickle - Make sure not to let the pickling liquid boil as you warm it up as this can make it taste bitter.
6. Peppercorns - If you haven't got any pink peppercorns, use black ones instead. I'd recommend using a ¼ tsp of black peppercorns. 

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