Tsarska turshiya
Mixed vegetable pickle
Tsarska turshiya (царска туршия): royal pickle of cauliflower, carrots, peppers and celery in sweet vinegar
Every autumn Bulgarian balconies fill with jars of turshiya, and the 'royal' one is the prettiest and the most loved: crisp cauliflower florets, carrot rounds, strips of red and green pepper and celery, steeped in a sweet-sour marinade with oil, garlic and peppercorns. It is served with hearty winter stews, with beans and with a glass of something cold at the table in the evening. This version is a fridge pickle, ready in three days and kept chilled, so it needs no sterilising bath. The mistake people make is overcooking the vegetables in the marinade; they should just lose their raw edge and still snap when you bite them. Chef's tip: pack the jars in colour layers, white, orange, red, green, and pour the marinade over while it is hot so the vegetables stay crunchy.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the vegetables
- 1 cauliflowerabout 800 g, cut into small florets
- 3 carrotssliced 5 mm thick
- 2 red pepperscut into strips
- 2 green pepperscut into strips
- 3 celery stickssliced
- 6 cloves garlichalved
For the marinade
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 ¾ cups white wine vinegar
- 6 ½ oz sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
- ½ cup sunflower oil
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wash three 1 litre jars and their lids in hot soapy water and rinse with boiling water.
5 minStep 2: Bring 2 ½ cups water, 1 ¾ cups white wine vinegar, 6 ½ oz sugar, 2 tbsp salt, ½ cup sunflower oil, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 3 bay leaves to the boil in a large pan, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve.
6 minStep 3: Add 3 carrots and 1 cauliflower and simmer for 3 minutes, then add 2 red peppers, 2 green peppers and 3 celery sticks and simmer 2 minutes more, until the colours brighten but everything is still crisp.
5 minStep 4: Lift the vegetables out with a slotted spoon and pack them into the jars in layers, tucking 6 cloves garlic in between.
15 minStep 5: Bring the marinade back to the boil and pour it over the vegetables to cover them completely, sharing out the oil and spices. Close the lids.
4 minStep 6: Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Leave for at least 3 days before eating, until the vegetables taste sweet-sour all the way through. Keep chilled and eat within 1 month.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tsarska turshiya take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- 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 cauliflower?
- Broccoli, same weight.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Mint and onion chutney
Onions fried gently until soft and sweet, then blended with fresh mint, green chilli and lemon juice. It's a mellow, fresh-tasting chutney that is great with bhajias, samosas, kebabs and tikka, or spread in sandwiches.
Indian
Sour cream dip
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.
Olive salsa dip
A chunky Mediterranean salsa of chopped black olives, tomato, pepper and spring onions with chives, basil, garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Serve it cold or at room temperature with corn chips or toasted bread.