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Sweet-sour pickled pumpkin
Süß-sauer eingelegter Kürbis: spiced vinegar-preserved pumpkin
When the pumpkin harvest peaks in October, from the Rhineland to Saxony, German kitchens turn the firm orange flesh into Süß-sauer eingelegter Kürbis, golden cubes preserved in sweet spiced vinegar. Through the winter they come out of the cellar to sit beside roast dinners, game, cheese boards and cold cuts, or a simple plate of potatoes and quark. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger and a little lemon peel make them taste of Christmas. The mistake is using a watery carving pumpkin, which falls apart; choose a dense one such as Hokkaido or butternut. Chef's tip: steep the raw cubes in the cold vinegar overnight before cooking; it firms them so they stay in neat, glassy cubes.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb firm pumpkin flesh (Hokkaido or butternut), peeled and deseededcut into 2 cm cubes
- 1 cup water
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 6 cloves
- ⅔ oz fresh gingersliced
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix the 2 cups white wine vinegar (5–6% acidity) and 1 cup water in a large bowl, add the 2 ¼ lb firm pumpkin flesh (Hokkaido or butternut), peeled and deseeded cubes, cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
10 minStep 2: Sterilise four 500 ml jars and lids: wash in hot soapy water, heat the jars in a 250°F oven for 15 minutes and boil the lids for 5 minutes.
20 minStep 3: Pour the vinegar liquid into a wide pan, keeping the pumpkin aside. Add the 10 ½ oz sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 cloves, ⅔ oz fresh ginger, 1 star anise and 2 strips of lemon peel and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
5 minStep 4: Add the pumpkin and simmer gently for 8–12 minutes, until the cubes look glassy at the edges and a knife goes in easily but they still hold their shape. Don't stir hard, just shake the pan.
12 minStep 5: Lift the pumpkin into the hot jars. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes more to concentrate it, then pour it over the pumpkin with the spices to cover by 1 cm. Seal at once and leave to cool.
8 minStep 6: Keep sealed jars in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks before eating; once opened, store in the fridge and use within 4 weeks. Throw out any jar with a bulging lid, mould or a fizzy smell.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sweet-sour pickled pumpkin take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 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 (5–6% acidity)?
- Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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