[CH] REC(1): Ats Jaar [Hoppin' John version]
ChileBuzz (chilebuzz@earthlink.net)
Tue, 6 Sep 2005 18:43:14 -0400
Ats Jaar
from "On The Side," by Jessica B. Harris (page 160)
My friend John Martin Taylor, whom I call "Bubba," and whom the world
knows as Hoppin' John, has written the book on the cooking of the
Lowcountry: Hoppin John's Lowcountry Cooking. He used to have a
wondrous cookbook store in Charleston where, for a while, I held the
record for buying the most cookbooks in one spending spree. He's
closed the store, but he has a great online boutique where he sells
items like magnificent stone-ground grits and wonderful Lowcountry
condiments. When I asked him for a recipe for one of his favorites,
he responded with this one for Ats Jaar, the Lowcountry take on the
achars of India, and reminded me that "mixed pickles in the Indian
manner have graced Lowcountry tables for centuries." You'll make
about 6 quarts of pickles. If you only want a few quarts, log on to
www.Hoppinjohns.com and order a jar or two of John's very own.
For the vegetables:
1 cup sea salt
1 gallon cold water
1/2 pound fresh young string beans, topped and tailed
1 pound (about 1/2 head) green cabbage, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 pounds small cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
2 pounds (1 head) cauliflower, broken into small florets
12 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound (about 7 ribs) celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 pound radishes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 pound (about 8 small) onions, peeled and halved or left whole if
very small
1/2 pound (about 5 heads) garlic separated into cloves and peeled
For the pickling solution:
1/4 pound (about a 5-inch piece) ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons whole mustard seeds
3 or 4 fresh or pickled chilli peppers (1 for every other jar)
1/2 gallon distilled white vinegar
To prepare the vegetables, dissolve the salt in the water, then pour
over the prepared vegetables in a non-reactive container. Let stand
overnight, at least 12 hours.
The next day, combine the ginger, turmeric, mustard seeds, chillies,
and vinegar in a large, non-reactive pot. Drain the vegetables well
and pack them into hot, sterile jars. Bring the pickling solution to
a boil, then pour it over the vegetables to 1/4 inch from the top of
the jars. Seal and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes or
refrigerate for a few days before eating.
Makes about 6 quarts