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Chrain

Chrain (חריין): sharp horseradish and beetroot relish

On the seder table and beside Shabbat gefilte fish, Ashkenazi families in Israel set out a bowl of chrain, a magenta relish of freshly grated horseradish and cooked beetroot. Its heat goes straight up the nose and clears the head, softened by the earthy sweetness of beet, a pinch of sugar and sharp vinegar. It keeps for weeks in the fridge and also livens up roast vegetables, boiled potatoes and egg salad. The common mistake is grating horseradish in a closed room with your face over the bowl: its fumes sting the eyes badly. Chef's tip: add the vinegar straight after grating, it fixes the heat at its peak; the longer grated horseradish sits without acid, the milder and more bitter it becomes.
Total time
20 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
12
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Ingredients

Serves12

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Fresh ingredients (1)

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Open a window. Finely grate 5 ½ oz fresh horseradish root on a fine grater or pulse it in a food processor, keeping your face away from the bowl.

    8 min
  2. Step 2: Immediately stir in ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp caster sugar and 1 tsp salt.

  3. Step 3: Grate 9 oz cooked beetroot finely and mix it in until evenly purple. Taste and add more salt, sugar or vinegar so it is sharp, hot and slightly sweet.

    5 min
  4. Step 4: Pack into a clean jar, close tightly and chill. It is ready at once and keeps for 3 weeks in the fridge.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
20 kcal
Protein
0 g
Carbs
4 g
Fat
0 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does chrain take?
About 20 minutes in total.
How many people does it serve?
12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of white wine vinegar?
Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
What can I use instead of caster sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.

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