Curried Pickled Onions

One of my favourite pickles is made with this recipe.

I remember my mum telling me about a regular annual weekend get-together she used to have where she'd invite a couple of girlfriends over. When they arrived they would find she had her sack of pickling onions and their labour was called upon for the peeling. This went on for not too many years, when finally they turned the tables by bringing their own sackfuls.....

The outcome really is worth the peeling factor.

Onion Peeling Tip:

peel them under cold water. Fill the sink, or use a bucket. No more tears, no silly looking goggles, all good.

Curried Pickled Onions

Peel 2kg of pickling onions, cover with salt and water for 24 hours.

Boil 1.1 litres brown vinegar with 500g brown sugar.

Stir in the following mix, after making it into a paste with a  little cold vinegar:

18gm ground cloves

18gm all spice

3 big tbsp flour

1 dessertspoon curry powder

3 tsp turmeric

Boil until it all thickens.

Tip for adding the paste to the boiling liquid:

Come along, we all know this: gradually add hot liquid to the paste to bring the temperature of it up before you tip it in. Whisk!

Dry onions well, place them in a crock or in jars, cover with the cooled sauce and keep 3 weeks before using. If you can. I'm usually into them after week 2....

Here they are in some lovely crocks I bought from the local Hospice shop for practically nothing...

A challenge to Ray, Simon or Ross (my new colleagues in cooking - you know who you are!...)

The first of you 3 to contact me can have a jar of these.....