makes
1kg
prep
20 minutes
difficulty
Easy
makes
1kg
serves
preparation
20
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 kg zucchini
- ½ red onion
- 30 g salt
Fermenting time 3-4 days
Instructions
1. Wipe the zucchini clean and slice into thin, even rounds about 5 mm-thick. Cutting them evenly is more important than cutting them wafer thin. Thinly slice the onion.
2. Place 1 litre of cold water in a bowl with the salt and whisk until the salt is dissolved.
3. Place the zucchini and onion in a fermenting crock or a non-reactive container such as a very large glass jar. Add enough of the salted water to just cover, pressing the zucchini under the liquid using a saucer (or similar) as a weight. Ideally, the ferment is exposed to very little air, but a loose piece of plastic wrap placed on top of the pickles can work well too.
4. Place in a dark, cool place (12 ˚C is ideal), and allow to ferment for 3-4 days. It will start to bubble in a day. Taste it every day to see what happens to the flavour. In warm places it will ferment much quicker than in a cellar or down in Tasmania. Discard any zucchini that poke out the top of the liquid if they get mould on them. When it tastes good, cover well and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Photography by Kitti Gould
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.