We start pickling vegetables for the winter in late summer and autumn. Torshi Liteh – pickled vegetables ترشی لیته, which is very popular in Iran, is quite tasty. Torshi comes from the word torsh, which means sour, and so it is. If you like pickles, you’ll love my torshi recipe. The vegetables and spice mixes in torshi can vary depending on the region and preferences. The preparation is simple and quick as a flash.

TORSHI LITEH – PICKLED VEGETABLES ترشی لیته

I made it with aubergines, carrots, white cabbage, small cucumbers, celery, cauliflower, chilies, and garlic, pickled in vinegar and salt. Torshi has an aromatic blend of spices and herbs, such as black cumin, cumin and coriander, nutmeg, turmeric, golfer (Persian hogweed), dried thyme, tarragon, cilantro, and basil. The Persian torshi is sugar-free, compared to the German mixed pickles made with sugar.

TORSHI VERSUS TORSHI LITEH

Torshi, or torshi makhloot (mixed), is vegetables pickled in vinegar-salt brine. Some typical ingredients include white cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, aubergines, peppers, pepperonis, green tomatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, ginger, cucumbers, pumpkin, and many more. The preparation is easy and quick, but you need to be patient, as you can enjoy Torshi Liteh after four weeks or better after one year.

Torshi is a popular garnish in Iran, so a dish is served daily at the table. The traditional torshi is made of small pieces of vegetables, just like you know it from mixed pickles. Torshi Liteh, on the other hand, is very finely chopped vegetables. We love pickled vegetables, which is why there are so many Persian recipes with torshi.

PERSIAN STYLE PRESERVING

It is best to use seasonal vegetables from your garden, the farmer’s market, or organic quality for preservation. The vegetables are used raw in torshi and should be crisp, fresh, clean, and without rotten or soft spots. Pickling in the Persian Style is unique due to the spice and herb mixtures used to preserve the vegetables. Use black cumin, cumin, and coriander seeds, nutmeg, turmeric, golpar (Persian hogweed), dried thyme, tarragon, cilantro, and basil for the best flavor. Be sure to use good quality vinegar for the vinegar stock. We do not cook the vinegar for torshi, so it should have five to seven percent of acidity.

HOW TO PREVENT MOLD

Usually, mold is caused by too much water in the mixture. For this reason, I recommend drying the vegetables well after washing. Use dried herbs to be on the safe side. You want to use fresh herbs, then let them dry in the sun for a few hours after washing and drying. Sterile screw-top or preserving jars are also a must, and for this purpose, wash the jars and place them in the oven at 140° for 10 – 15 minutes.

Pour the torshi into the sterilised jars and seal them tightly. Good things take time! Leave the torshi in a dry and cool place for at least a month, or better for one year. The longer the better, and it is definitely worth waiting. Store the jar in the fridge once opened. Be sure to use a clean spoon to take out portions of torshi, to prevent germs from getting into the jar.

FROM MY PANTRY

My grandma (Hadj Khanoom) had a pantry. Well, it was more of a treasure chamber full of fermented foods. I loved going to her pantry and getting fermented food from the loaded shelves. The shelves, which were almost bending, were filled with Sir Torshi Persian pickled garlic, Piaz Torshi – marinated red onions, Khiyar Shoor – pickled cucumbers, olives, and much more.

Hadj Khanoom saved the broth when the jars were empty and made a new torshi with the existing broth. I also recommend doing this, as the vegetables ferment much faster and become more aromatic each time. Lavashak – fruit leather also belongs to the torches since it is sour. You can find more fermented recipes on the blog, for example, a delicious piccalilli sauce – pickled mustard vegetables. Check out my homemade yogurt, labneh, kombucha, and kombucha fermentation.

TORSHI OR SHOOR

Torshi is very common in the Middle East, Armenia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Greece, and the Balkans. As I mentioned above, the word torshi or torschi ترشی comes from the Persian word torsh, which means sour. In Turkey, it is called Turşu, in Kurdish Tirşî, in Greek τουρσί toursí. Torshi is prepared with a mixture of less salt and more vinegar. Shoor, on the other hand, is made with more salt and less vinegar, for example, Khiyar Shoor – pickled cucumbers.

Torshi is a Persian chashni or chaashni چاشنی. It can be a spice, sauce, or chutney served with a dish to enhance the flavor. As an example, tomato or pomegranate paste is also among the chassis. Torshi is a popular chashni in Iran and is best with Abgousht/Dizi – lamb stew. Serve it with eshkeneh, khoresh, kabab, Kotelett  and other traditional Persian dishes.

TORSHI HEALTH BENEFITS

In Teb- Sonati, a Persian traditional medicine, torshi has cold and dry properties. As with all fermented foods, it is very healthy and beneficial for digestion. It is low in calories but high in vitamins, minerals and helpers for gut bacteria. Enjoy torshi in small quantity, and avoid it in the evening, as it extracts calcium from the bones and can cause osteoporosis and weaken the nerves and memory. In Teb-e Sonati, people with high blood pressure, stomach problems, especially reflux and gastritis, are advised to consume only a little bit of torshi.

INGREDIENTS TORSHI LITEH MAKHLOOT

1 kg of aubergines

2 carrots

200 g white cabbage

2 small cucumbers

4 stalks of celery

1 small cauliflower

2 red chillies

5 garlic cloves

SPICE AND HERB MIX FOR TORSHI

1 tbsp black cumin, seeds*

1 tbsp cumin, seeds*

1 tbsp coriander, seeds*

1/2 nutmeg, grated*

1 tbsp turmeric, ground*

1 tbsp golpar, ground*

1 tbsp thyme, dried*

1 tbsp tarragon, dried*

1 tbsp coriander herb, dried*

1 tbsp basil, dried*

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BRINE

1 tbsp salt

400 – 500 ml white vinegar*

PREPARATION TORSHI LITEH

Wash all the vegetables and dry them well. Cut off the ends of the aubergines, cucumbers, celery, and chili. Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower.

Set aside a large bowl.

Peel the aubergines with a peeler into stripes, so that the aubergines are partly with and partly without. Shred twice in a food processor or turn once through a grinder. Strain the fluid in a sieve over a bowl. Press firmly with a spoon to drain out all the liquid. To prevent the bitter elements from getting into our torshi. Leave over the sieve while you prepare the other ingredients. Discard the liquid. Place the drained aubergines in the bowl with all the other ingredients.

Peel the carrots with a peeler. Also, shred 2x in a food processor or grind through a grinder. Add to the bowl.

Cut the white cabbage, cucumber, and celery into coarse pieces and shred finely. Add to the bowl.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets and shred them until rice sized. Alternatively, grate the cauliflower finely with a kitchen grater or cut rice-sized pieces with a knife. Add to the bowl.

Finely chop the chili and garlic or grind them in a grinder. Add to the bowl with the other ingredients.

SPICE PREPARATION TORSHI

Crush the black cumin, cumin, coriander seeds and nutmeg coarsely in a food processor, mix well with the other spices, salt and vinegar and pour over the vegetables. Blend together, place in sterilised jars*, and fill to the top with the vinegar mixture. The vinegar must cover the vegetables well. Close the jars tightly.

It tastes best if the vegetables are left to infuse for at least one month or better for a year. The longer, the better. Keep in a dark and cool place, and Liteh will age for several years. Once opened, keep torshi in the fridge. Remove single portions with a clean spoon to prevent germs from getting into the jars.

BEFARMAYID!

Susan

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