Tourshi (Armenian Pickled Greens) Recipe

For my household and lots of different Armenians, autumn meant it was time to sock two issues away for the lengthy winter forward: sujuk, an air-cured, closely spiced beef sausage, and tourshi, pickled greens in a tangy, lightly-spiced vinegar brine. In Armenia—in addition to in quite a few different international locations within the area—tourshi (or turshi) simply means “pickles,” and the dish could be made with nearly any crisp, edible-when-raw vegetable you may consider. Armenians set tourshi on the eating desk regardless of the event, however it’s a vital part of any mezze unfold or a facet dish alongside entrées. 

After we make tourshi, we simply purchase a multitude of greens and pack them into as many containers as needed. In my household, we often made it from a greatest-hits assortment of crunchy issues—carrots, celery, cauliflower, cabbage, unripe inexperienced tomatoes, turnips, and tender-skinned lengthy candy peppers—however the course of works it doesn’t matter what mixture you select, and I usually use it to pickle no matter I’ve available and must protect for in a while. With that stated, I’ve tried to be as prescriptive as potential on this recipe. With a purpose to be sure you have sufficient greens and brine to fill your jars, and provided that totally different greens will take up totally different quantities of house within the jars, you’ll have to begin with greater than you may presumably use and repurpose no matter you may’t handle to suit. 

The strategy for making tourshi is easy: You chop the greens into bite-size items or brief spears, and pack them into containers, together with a scoop of complete fragrant spices, a number of sprigs of parsley, a few garlic cloves, and nonetheless many sizzling peppers you need. Tourshi could be spicy, but it surely isn’t at all times; use as many sizzling peppers as you want, however take care you don’t overdo it and make the pickles intolerably sizzling, until that’s your factor.

My mother and father at all times put their tourshi into massive ceramic crocks that they saved in an unheated cellar all winter, however nearly any sealable heatproof container will do; my  recipe is crafted to make use of 4 one-quart mason jars. As soon as the containers are crammed, you carry a mix of water, cider vinegar, and salt to a boil, after which rigorously pour the recent brine over the greens. Including the recent liquid straight on prime gently par-cooks the greens simply sufficient to extend their tenderness with out sacrificing their texture. You then seal the containers and depart them for 5 days at room temperature, throughout which period the greens soften additional and the flavors of the pickles meld.

With massive containers like crocks, you may place a plate or one other heavy object on prime to carry the greens underneath the brine; in jars, simply flip them over as soon as a day to maintain every little thing sufficiently submerged. After that, they go into the fridge to relax for a day earlier than being able to serve. Your completed tourshi in all probability gained’t stick round too lengthy, but when it does, it retains for six months or longer within the fridge.

I belief that after you make this recipe as soon as, you’ll get the grasp of the essential methodology and will likely be impressed to make use of it to protect all kinds of greens, in no matter ingenious mixtures you want.