I have loads of rhubarb and need to pick it as part of cleaning up and resting the vegetable garden as part of preparing it for us to be away for 8 weeks. I make great rhubarb jam, it is beautiful with a bit of tang. I don’t have a really sweet tooth so to me it is perfect but I have a freezer full of rhubarb jam and we don’t eat much bread so there is no point making more. Second option is rhubarb chutney but I also have a fair bit hanging around and I prefer tomato chutney and I have lots of tomatoes that I need to use.
I make a great zucchini pickle so I thought I would try to find one made from rhubarb – google was not helpful – everything I found was cold strips of rhubarb in a vinegar. Not what I was looking for – something yummy to eat with cold meat!
I revisited my recipe for zucchini pickle and made some modifications and came up with this. It is pretty good!!
Makes about 2 jars, easily doubles, ingredient quantities are not so critical but the mustard seeds give a great pop, and the lemon seems to be necessary to balance the taste.
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped onions (1 large onion)
- 3 tbs oil
- 4 cups sliced well washed rhubarb (about 6 stems)
- 8 cloves finely sliced garlic
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vinegar
- juice of half lemon
- Chia seeds to use as thickening (optional )
Method
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot, add the mustard seeds and stir until they just begin to pop.
- Add the onions, garlic and spices, and stir until the onion is clear but not browned, a little water may be necessary.
- Add the rhubarb and continue stirring until all ingredients are mixed and the rhubarb is softened.
- Add vinegar, sugar and lemon juice and cook for another few minutes or until thickened. Check for taste and adjust – maybe add fish sauce and additional chilli. Can be thickened with 1/2 tbs chia seeds.
- Pack into sterilised jars or as I do – one jar and the rest into zip lock bags to go into the freezer, or if it is a bit on thin side, consider putting it in to a bottle and using it like sauce.
Really worth a try, it is so good.