This is a mixture of various things pickled together, and put into the
same jar.
Have ready a small white cabbage, sliced, and the stalk removed; a
cauliflower cut into neat branches, leaving out the large stalk; sliced
cucumbers; sliced carrots; sliced beets, (all nicked round the edges;)
button-onions; string-beans; radish pods; barberries; cherries; green
grapes; nasturtians; capsicums; bell-peppers, &c. Sprinkle all these
things with salt, put them promiscuously into a large earthen pan, and
pour scalding salt and water over them. Let them lie in the brine for
four days, turning them all over every day. Then take them out, wash
each thing separately in vinegar, and wipe them carefully in a cloth.
Afterwards lay them on sieves before the fire, and dry them thoroughly.
For the pickle liquor.--To every two quarts of the best vinegar, put
an ounce and a half of white ginger root, scraped and sliced; the same
of long pepper; two ounces of peeled shalots, or little button-onions,
cut in pieces; half an ounce of peeled garlic; an ounce of turmeric;
and two ounces of mustard seed bruised, or of mustard powder. Let
all these ingredients, mixed with the vinegar, infuse in a close jar
for a week, setting in a warm place, or by the fire. Then (after the
vegetables have been properly prepared, and dried from the brine) put
them all into one large stone jar, or into smaller jars, and strain
the pickle over them. The liquid must be in a large quantity, so as
to keep the vegetables well covered with it, or they will spoil. Put
a table-spoonful of sweet oil on the top of each jar, and secure them
well with a large cork and a leather.
If you find that after awhile the vegetables have absorbed the liquor,
so that there is danger of their not having a sufficiency, prepare some
more seasoned vinegar and pour it over them.
East India pickle is very convenient, and will keep two years. As
different vegetables come into season, you can prepare them with the
salt and water process, and add them to the things already in the jar.
You may put small mangoes into this pickle; also plums, peaches and
apricots.