Method

• 1.
  Prepare the vegetables, dates and chillies and have them ready.
• 2.
  To make the paste, use a mortar and pestle to pound the mustard seeds, peppercorns and 30g salt. Add garlic and ginger and continue pounding to a paste.
• 3.
  Place vinegar and remaining 5g salt in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Blanch eschalot for 1 minute, then scoop out with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Individually blanch remaining vegetables, dates and chillies in the same way, for 30 seconds each, adding to the bowl with the eschalot as you go
• 4.
  Once all vegetables are blanched, add mustard paste to the vinegar along with the sugar and turmeric. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool for 5 minutes
• 5.
  Pour pickling liquid over the vegetables and stir well. Leave at room temperature for an hour or so, stirring occasionally. There shouldn’t be a huge amount of liquid.
• 6.
  Pack pickle and liquor into jars, gently pressing down as you go to remove any air bubbles. Seal and sit at room temperature for 24 hours before you use it.
• 7.
  Once ready, this can be stored in the fridge and will last for a few months.
• 8.
  NOTE: This recipe uses those excellent tiny red Thai eschalots. You can use other types, but you will need to chop them smaller (to a similar size to the cauliflower florets) and it won’t be quite the same.