Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Cucumbers & Jalapenos Pickled in Balsamic Vinegar

Pickled Cucumbers & Jalapenos
The pickled cucumbers served in Vietnamese restaurants taste so good because of their sweet & sour flavour. It's easy to make at home with minimal fuss. These taste great on hamburgers or along with with biryani or fried rice. Salting the cucumber slices before soaking in vinegar keeps them nice and crisp. I made the pickled cucumbers first and had a lot of pickling juices left after eating the cucumbers, so added sliced jalapeno peppers to the brine. Once the heat from the peppers seep into the brine, it can be sprinkled on just about anything for a sweet, tart and spicy tang. The sliced peppers can also be eaten if you can handle the heat.
Pickled Cucumbers

Ingredients:
1 English seedless cucumber, sliced & tossed with salt
4 Tbsp. white balsamic or plain vinegar
4 Tbsp. sugar or Splenda or half sugar half Splenda
1 tsp. finely ground chili flakes

Directions:
  1. Do not peel the cucumber.
  2. Toss cucumber slices with salt and leave in sieve to drain overnight in fridge.
  3. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  4. Chill in fridge overnight before serving.
After the cucumbers are eaten, slice jalapeno peppers into the remaining marinade for a sweet chili pickle. Allow the peppers to marinate for at least 2 days for the flavors to develop fully and store in the refrigerator.