Asinan okra is a type of pickled fresh-pack, which means the okra is preserved in a vinegar mixture without soaking it in salt water first. This article will teach you how to pickle okra.
Ingredients
Basic material
- 450 g fresh okra
- 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled (optional)
- 4 jalapeo or habanero chilies (optional)
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 cups (475 ml) fruit cider vinegar
- 2 cups (475 ml) water
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) kosher salt or pickling salt (table salt will make the pickle cloudy)
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sugar
- 4 pickling jars, each measuring 500 ml
Marinating Spices
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon(15 ml) whole stock
- 1 tablespoon(15 ml) whole allspice
- 1 tablespoon(15 ml) cinnamon, crushed
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon(15 ml) finely chopped coriander
Step
Part 1 of 2: Choosing Okra and Sterilizing Jars
Step 1. Choose the freshest okra
If possible, you should marinate the okra for 6 - 12 hours. Choose tender okra with 5 to 7.5 cm long green skin for salting.
Step 2. Clean and peel the okra
Peel the ends of the okra stalks, and leave the okra whole. You can cut the okra into whatever shape you feel comfortable eating.
Step 3. In a large saucepan, arrange the pickling jars on a wire rack so the jars don't lie directly on the bottom of the pan
Fill the pot with water, so that the jar is completely submerged. Turn on the stove and let the water boil. Boil the jars in boiling water for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the stove.
- Remove the pickling jars with jar tongs and place them on a kitchen counter that has been lined with a clean towel. Do this so that the temperature difference between the kitchen counter and the jar does not cause the jar to crack.
- Place the lid and head of the jar in the boiling water and let it sit for 5 minutes, then remove it and place it on a clean towel.
Part 2 of 2: Marinating Okra
Step 1. Roast salted spices (optional)
In a small skillet, combine all the spices and roast until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2-4 minutes. After that, set aside the spices for later use.
Step 2. Heat the brine
Combine water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and salting spices in a non-reactive saucepan and heat until boiling. Cooking containers made of stainless steel, aluminum, glass, and enamel are suitable for boiling salting water.
Step 3. Place the okra in a pickling jar
Before you add the okra, slice the lemon into four more or less equal parts. Place each slice in the jar to be used. After that, place fresh okra into each jar, being careful not to overfill the jars.
- Place the okra in a jar with the stem end facing up.
- Be sure to leave 1.25 cm of free space at the head of each jar.
- You can add a clove of garlic to each jar for added flavor. A jalapeo or habanero chili will add a bit of spiciness to the pickled okra. Experiment by adding different ingredients to each jar!
Step 4. Pour the brine into a jar of okra
This may be easier to do with a special pickling funnel, but a funnel isn't necessary if you have steady hands.
Step 5. Clear any air bubbles in the pickling jar
Rub a small non-metallic spatula or bubble cleaner all over the rim of the jar. Excess air can be the main cause of the emergence of germs and bacteria, so the possibility of pickles will spoil is greater.
Step 6. Wipe the brine from the neck of the jar, attach the lid to the jar, and place the jar in the boiling-water canner for 10 minutes
Use the water previously used to sterilize the pickling jars in Part One. Make sure that the water that is submerging the jar is 2.5 cm higher than the jar as the process proceeds. Turn the heat on to the hottest setting and allow the water to boil.
- Place the jars on a pickling rack, then lower the rack into a pot of hot water. Make sure that the water at least covers the head of the jar to a depth of 2.5 cm.
- Put the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to allow the water to simmer for 10 minutes.
- If the water level is not as high as 2.5 cm from the head of the jar anymore, add water.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, remove the lid from the curing pan, and use the jar lifter to move the jar onto a towel.
Step 7. Leave the jars untouched for 12 to 24 hours
Test the density of the jars by removing the straps and looking at the lids of the jars. The center of the jar should be concave. If any of the jars are not tightly closed, you can reprocess them within the first 24 hours. Leave the jars for a few days to a week before using them.
