English Translation
Attached Below.
Ek het ‘n lelike kraak in my siel vir piekel uitjies. Slap hakskeentjies
is nog ‘n permanente vlek. En daai soeterige, effense bitter essensie van
oondgeroosterde uie? Aai my Kroon, aai . . . Onse Esau het sleg laag gemik met
‘n pot lensiesop.
Piekel uitjies is nie die korrekte naam nie. Piekel is ‘n anglisisme wat
‘ingelê in sout of pekelwater’ impliseer. Suuruitjies is hoe hierdie lekkerte
eintlik geroep moet word. Ek het ook al suuruiNtjies gehoor, maar dié is veldkos
en is ‘n ander, onverwante genotsaamheid.
Suuruitjies is maar ‘n ietwat tydsame ding om aanmekaar te sit, maar tog
is dit nie moeilik nie. Boonop is daar is ‘n sekere, sielsvervullende
genoegdoening om die bottels met ‘n singende hart op jou spensrak te pak ter wete:
“Hierdie gaan lekkerder wees as die winkel s’n.” Ware geluk kom soms in klein, kortstondige
pakkies.
Suuruitjies is ‘n geduldige, buigsame affêre wat baie verdra en steeds gretig
bly om sy beste te lewer. Die speserye, suiker en asyn kombinasie van hierdie
resep is net ‘n voorstel. Slaan jou eie kombinasies aan mekaar soos jou hart en
gewrigte vir jou fluister “Dit gaan werk.” En die herhalendheid van uitjies
skil by jou kombuis toonbank met net jou selwers vir geselskap? Balsem vir die
siel daai – die kop loop maklik vêr, vêr paaie.
En wat doen mens hiermee? Die troue aanhangers sal weet.
O ja, die uitjies word verkoel tot yskoud voor dit geskil word, dan skil
dit makliker en daar is geen tranedal nie.
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Resep
lewer:
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Hoeveel
tyd?:
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± 1 Kg uitjies / 2 x 750ml bottels
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± 2½ Ure, totaal
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Spesiale
Toerusting Benodig:
2 x 750ml Glas, skroef prop bottels.
1 x 1L Vlekvrye staal of hitte bestande, glas maatbeker.
Bestandele:
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Kookwater
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1
Ketel
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Klein uitjies
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1kg
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Bruin asyn
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750ml
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Wit suiker
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100g
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Sout
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5ml
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Lourier blare
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10
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Koljander korrels
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10ml
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Swart peper korrels
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7.5ml
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Geelmosterd saad korrels
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5ml
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Dille saad
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2.5ml
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Opsioneel, na smaak:
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Jenewer of wonderpeper bessies,
gedroog
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2.5ml
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Gedroogde, rooi chilli
peper vruggies
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1
per bottel
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Metode:
1.
Skil die uitjies: Plaas die uitjies in ‘n groot metaal of hitte bestande
glas kom. Giet genoeg kookwater oor om dit heeltemal te bedek. Laat staan tot die water afgekoel het tot louwarm. Giet die water af en
verkil die ongeskilde uitjies oornag, of tot koud, in ‘n yskas. Skil die
uitjies en hou eenkant.
2.
Steriliseer die bottels: Vul die bottels tot bo met kokende water en laat
staan 3 minute. Gebruik oond handskoene en giet die warm water uit. Draai die
bottels onderstebo totdat dit benodig word.
3. Berei die uitjies voor: Pak die
geskilde uitjies styf in die bottels. Plaas 5 lourierblare in elke bottel al
met die omtrek langs op die halfpad merk. Sny kruise van bo af tot in die
helfte van die uitjies wat te groot lyk. Plaas die gevulde bottels in ‘n oondpan. Meng die koljander, mosterd, dille saad
en swart peper korrels deeglik in ‘n klein kommetjie.
Verdeel die mengsel eweredig tussen elke bottel.
4. Lê die uitjies in: Meng die
suiker, sout en bruin asyn in ‘n vlekvrye staal soteerpan of kastrol. Verhit
oor medium hitte totdat die asyn kook. Maak seker die sout en suiker het
opgelos en giet die kokende vloeistof in ‘n 1L glas of vlekvrye staal maatbeker.
Verdeel die vuurwarm vloeistof eweredig tussen die twee bottels. Maak seker die
vloeistof vlak kom tot heelbo in die bek van elke bottel. Vul aan met ekstra,
koue bruin asyn indien die warm asyn oplossing nie die bottels volledig vul
nie. Skroef die deksels styf op. Gebruik oond handskoene en ‘n droë vadoek. Draai
die warm bottels ‘n paar keer onderstebo om seker te maak die deksels sluit
dig. Laat eenkant om af te koel.
5. Spoel die afgekoelde bottels af
met koue water en bêre dit vir 3 – 4 weke weg vanuit direkte sonlig. Draai die
bottels af en toe ‘n paar keer onderstebo om die vloeistof en speserye inhoud
te meng.
6. Gebuik ‘n vadoek vir veiligheid
om die bottels mee oop te skroef. Die vakuum in die nek van die bottels gaan
die oopskroef proses bemoeilik.
Kommentaar:
· Maak seker die asynsuur inhoud van die asyn is 5% of hoër.
Dit is hoog genoeg om enige bakteriese of skimmel bederf by kamer temperatuur te
voorkom. Appel-, wyn- of rysasyn is ook geskik vir die maak van ingelegde
uitjies, maar dan moet die finale produk in ‘n yskas verouder. Hierdie matiger,
‘natuurlike’ asyne het gewoonlik minder as 5% asynsuur teenwoordig.
· Bewerk die uitjies so gou moontlik na aankope. Die uitjies
skil al moeiliker hoe langer dit lê. Die yskas verkoel van die kookwater
behandelde uitjies maak dit aansienlik makliker om te skil en die die koue
verhoed die trane wat gewoonlik gepaard gaan met uie skil.
· Gebruik gedroogde dille punte (dill tips) indien dille saad moeilik verkrygbaar is. Gebruik helfte
soveel dille punte as dille saad. Dille saad is gewoonlik beskikbaar by die meeste
verskaffers wat Indiese speserye aanhou.
· Gebruikgedroogde wonderpeper korrels i.p.v. jenewer bessies,
indien nodig. Dieselfde verskaffers wat dille saad dra, behoort ook jenewer
bessies aan te hou.
· Vir die met ‘n behoefte aan brand: Wees versigtig met die
chillies. Een per bottel lyk min, maar die asyn is ‘n verstommend doeltreffende
oplosmiddel vir die capsaicin in die
chillies. En die uitjies slurp die capsaicin
eenvoudig op! Hoe langer die hele spul staan, hoe erger word die byt. Onthou
dit.
© RS Young,
2017
Preserved, Pickled Onions
I
suffer from a serious flaw in my soul when it comes to pickled onions. Onions
in sour sauce (Slaphakskeentjies in Afrikaans)
is another stain on my patient soul. And that sweetish, somewhat bitter savouriness
of oven roasted onions? Eish M’Lord, eish . . . Old Essau was way too lenient
to settle for a pot of lentil stew.
The
Afrikaans “Piekel uitjies” is a
misnomer. Piekel is an Afrikaans anglicism
that implies ‘preserved in salt or brine’. I have also come across “suuruiNtjies”, but uintjies is a wild, edible bulb and an unrelated veldt delicacy.
Pickled
onions is a somewhat leisurely operation, but is not difficult to prepare. Additionally,
there is a certain soul nourishing contentment in finding space for the bottles
on your pantry shelf with the certain knowledge in your heart: “This is going
to be so much better than the shop bought stuff.” Sometimes, true happiness
comes in unassuming little doses.
Pickled
onions is a patient, flexible affair that can tolerate much and still remain
eager to give it’s utmost. The spices, sugar and vinegar combination of this
recipe serves merely as a suggestion. Prepare your own combinations that seem
right and proper to your intuition and experience. Fortuitously, the solitary,
semi mindless repetitiveness of peeling onions at your kitchen counter tends to
induce the mind to wander off on all sorts of little byways and detours that
serve as a peaceful balm for the soul.
And
what do we do with this product? The true believers will know.
Oh
yes, the onions are refrigerated until cold prior to peeling, then it peel’s
easier and we avoid the usual, associated vale of tears.
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Recipe
yields:
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Time
required?:
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± 1 Kg onions / 2 x 750ml bottles
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± 2½ Hours, total
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Special
Equipment Required:
2 x 750ml Glass, screw top bottles.
1 x 1L Stainless steel or heat resistant measuring jug.
Ingredients:
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Boiling water
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1
Kettle
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Pickling size onions
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1kg
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Brown vinegar
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750ml
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White sugar
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100g
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Salt
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5ml
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Bay leaves
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10
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Coriander seed, whole
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10ml
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Black pepper, whole
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7.5ml
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Yellow mustard seed,
whole
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5ml
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Dill seed
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2.5ml
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Optional, to taste:
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Juniper or pimento berries,
whole
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2.5ml
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Dried, whole red chili’s
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1
per bottle
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Method:
1.
Peel the onions: Put the onions in a large stainless steel or heat
resistant glass bowl. Cover completely with boiling water. Leave aside until
the water cooled down to room temperature. Pour the water off and refrigerate
the onions in their bowl overnight, or until cold. Peel the onions and put them
aside until needed.
2.
Sterilize the bottles: Fill the bottles to the brim with boiling water
and leave for 3 minutes. Using oven mitts, carefully pour the hot water out.
Turn the bottles upside down and put aside until needed.
3. Prepare the onions: Pack the
peeled onions tightly into the bottles. Place 5 bay leaves around the inner circumference
of each bottle when half filled. Continue tightly filling the bottles with
onions. Cut crosses about half way down the length of the onions that look too
large. Place the bottles in an oven pan. Mix the coriander, mustard, dill and
black pepper seeds in a small bowl. Divide the mixture evenly between each
bottle.
4. Preserve the onions: Mix the
sugar, salt and brown vinegar in a stainless steel sauté pan or cooking pot.
Heat over medium heat until the vinegar boils. Make sure the sugar and salt
dissolved completely and pour the boiling solution into a 1L glass or stainless
steel measuring jug. Divide the hot vinegar evenly between the two bottles,
filling each to the top. Add extra, cold vinegar if the hot vinegar solution is
not enough to fill the bottles completely. Put the lids on the bottles and
tighten thoroughly using oven mitts and a dry kitchen towel. Turn the hot
bottles upside down a few times to ensure the lids seal tightly. Leave aside to
cool to room temperature.
5. Rinse the bottles with cold
water, dry and put away for 3 – 4 weeks away from direct sunlight. Turn the
bottles every so often to mix the liquid and spices.
6. Use a dry kitchen towel to
safely unscrew the lids of the bottles. The vacuum that formed under the lids
will interfere with the eventual opening of the bottles.
Comments:
· Confirm that the acetic acid content of the vinegar is 5% or
higher. This level is high enough to prevent bacterial or fungal growth (and
spoilage) at room temperature. Cider, wine or rice vinegars are also suitable
for preserving pickled onions, but the end product have to be refrigerated as
these milder, ‘natural’ vinegars often have less than 5% acetic acid present.
· Process the onions as soon as possible after purchase. The
peeling process increases in difficulty as the onions age. Chilling the onions
until cold after treatment with boiling water, simplify the peeling considerably
and prevents the tears normally associated with peeling onions.
· Use commercially available dried dill tips if dill seed
proves difficult to find. Use half as much dill tips as seed. Dill seed is
usually available at purveyors of Indian spices and herbs.
· Use whole pimento berries in stead of juniper berries, if
necessary. The same purveyors supplying dill seed will also carry juniper
berries.
· For those with a burn compulsion: Be careful with the number
of chili’s per bottle. One per bottle seems a bit anemic, but rest assured, the
vinegar is a surprisingly efficient solvent for the capsaicin in the chilies.
And those pickling onions simply slurp up all the capsaicin. Therefore, the
longer the end product stands, the worse it’s bite becomes. You have duly been
warned.
© RS Young,
2017
