Food Wastage

One of the pleasures of growing your own fruits, herbs and vegetables is the joy of eating everything fresh. The bane? When there is a plethora of something that no one wants and you are done begging people to come and take excess produce, the resulting feeling of frustration that one feels could get a little over-whelming.

While in Washington DC earlier this year, I met a gentleman that has purchased several acres of land and is growing TONS of fruits and vegetables on that tract of land. He doesn’t believe in selling them in the local Farmer’s Market, so the net result is that almost 80% of his produce is wasted. I was truly horrified when I saw piles of fruits and vegetables rotting all around, and even today, I can’t wrap my head around his philosophy: he said – what comes from Mother Earth, goes back to her. But….what about all the water he’s wasting? And his time and immensely back-breaking work? Think of all the homeless shelters and soup kitchens that could benefit from his amazing efforts? Me? I am very saddened when produce goes waste. I guess all of us think differently.

Here a Chili…There a Chili

This year, we ended up with tons of jalapeno and Thai chili peppers. We planted just two of each variety, and they produced and produced and produced. Maybe it was the soil that had been tilled and amended with compost just before planting? Perhaps it was the perfect weather for chili peppers this summer? Earlier this year, when our friend Rebecca, an amazing gardener herself, dropped by, I was complaining about the amount of chilies that were growing. She simply said – why don’t you pickle or can them?

Pickled Chilis

Pickling and canning – the idea seemed quite daunting at the beginning. But one fine day, after a memorable visit to a local pickling market in a small alley in Kyoto, Japan, where everything is pickled and fermented, my husband and I decided we were going to ‘Just Do It’! We picked the peppers, careful not to touch our faces the whole time, washed and wiped them dry, and proceed to can them. After the first attempt, and after the first bite into the BEST PICKLED CHILI PEPPER I’VE EVER HAD, we were hooked. Since then, we have canned and pickled multiple jars – we use them on tacos, sandwiches, salads and more. They’ve been great for gifting too.

So far, we’ve polished off 2 bottles of pickled chili peppers! We have 4 more bottles in reserve and I hope we can stretch them through to next summer. Fat chance of that happening…

p.s. Once pickled and canned for a few weeks, the chili peppers lose their ‘kick’. They become almost mild to medium hot. So don’t let this recipe scare you off, if you are not into eating spicy foods.

Other Recipes You Will Love

If you love pickling your veggies, try out a few of our recipes:

• Tart Spicy Pickled Cauliflower
• Spicy Raw Carrot Pickle (Gajar ka Achar)

If you love spicy food, here are a few delicious dishes that you can test your palate against. Of course, you can tone down the spice level, since everything is made from scratch.

• Spicy Cilantro Eggplant Saute
• Eggplant Potato Spicy Medley
• Spicy Buttermilk Soup
• Spicy, Sweet, Tangy Pineapple Gojju
• Spicy, Tangy Stuffed Eggplant
• Spicy Bell Pepper Potato Medley
• Tangy-ly Spicy Sweet Jicama Salad
• Slow Cooked Spicy Chicken Curry
• Spicy, Sweet, Tangy Tomato Chutney
• Egg Tomato Spicy Rice
• Baked Spicy Chicken Curry
• Spicy, Tangy Sprouts & Carrot Salad
• Spicy Mint Sea Bass

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Pickled Chili Peppers

Skip the store and make your own pickled peppers at home. These easy-peasy pickled Jalapeño & Thai Peppers are delicious!

Course Pickles

Cuisine American

Keyword ACV, apple cider vinegar, canning, Chili Pepper, herbs, Jalapeno, Pickles, Vinegar

Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 30 People

Calories 20kcal

Ingredients

• 1 Quart Size Glass Bottle with Canning Lid - Mason Jars are available in Wal-Mart or Target
• 4 Cups Chili Peppers - Diced. Jalapeño, Thai or other variety of your choice
• 1 Cups Distilled White Vinegar
• 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar - ACV
• 2 Cups Filtered water - To Mix with Vinegar and ACV

To add to the Mason Jar:

• 1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt - or Sea Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper - Whole
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds - Whole
• 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds - Whole
• 2 Whole Bay Leaves
• 3 Whole Garlic - Cloves, Peeled

Instructions

• Wash chili peppers and dry them. Thinly slice chilis into 1/8 inch rounds. Discard stem ends or compost them. Please wear gloves!
  
• Wash one quart sized mason jar and lid in hot soapy water. Rinse well and set aside. In a thick-bottomed dish, gently place the mason jar and the lid and add enough water to cover the bottle. Bring the water (with the bottle and lid) to a boil. This will sterilize the bottle and lid.
  
• At the same time, in a large pan, combine 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 cups filtered water. Heat to a simmer but do not allow to come to a boil.
  
• Pull the sterilized bottle and the lid using tongs (canning tongs preferred) out. While the bottle is still hot, add salt, pepper corns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaf, and garlic to the jar. Add chili slices to the jar, pressing down and compactly packing them. Fill chili peppers leaving 1 inch space on top.
  
• Pour hot vinegar mix into the jar, leaving about 1/2 inch space on top. Insert a chopstick down the sides of the jar and press in towards the center to release any bubbles. Clean the rims of the jar with a damp cloth or paper towel. Screw on the jar lid tightly. In about 15-20 minutes, you will hear a 'pop'; this means the bottle is now sealed.
  
• Let the bottle cool and store it in a cool dry place. So long as the bottle remains sealed, the chili peppers will not go rancid. Once the bottle is open, store in the refrigerator with the vinegar, and use within 2-3 months.
  

Notes

Versatile in uses, try it in salads, or in tacos or fajitas.

*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Pickled Chili Peppers

Amount per Serving

Calories

20

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

1

g

2

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Sodium

 

45

mg

2

%

Potassium

 

98

mg

3

%

Carbohydrates

 

4

g

1

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

2

g

2

%

Protein

 

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

 

1311

IU

26

%

Vitamin C

 

2

mg

2

%

Calcium

 

4

mg

0

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.