Pickling preserves the garden goodness of the assorted range of vegetables. Pickles are used as garnishes, parts of a mezza or just as an accompaniment to most Lebanese and Syrian dishes. There are no limits to the use of these condiments.

Basic salt and water – Mixture for pickles

3 T regular salt to 1 c water or 2 T rock salt to 1 c water

Note:
1. Some people seal with olive oil
2. Some people add vinegar to salt mixture

Another pickling liquid

2 c water
½ c vinegar
½ c salt

Pickled cucumbers - Kabis Khayar

1. Wash and prick cucumber and pat dry in papers towels.
2. Place the cucumbers one next to the other in sterilized jars.
3. Peel garlic (as many as you want) and add to the jars.
4. Heat salt solution. When cool, cover the cucumbers and seal with air tight lids.

Hint: As I noted before, you may seal the jar of cucumbers by adding olive oil or adding 2 T vinegar to a quart jar.

Turnip pickles - Kabis Lifit

1 lb. small turnips
3 to 4 c of pickling solution
1 small beet
Garlic to taste

Wash and pat dry turnips. In sterilized jar, and garlic, cut pieces of beet (to give turnips color) and cover with salt mixture.
Cover with an air tight lid.

Pickled Cabbage - Kabis Malfouf

Shred cabbage but not to fine. Place in sterilized jar with about 8 peeled cloves of garlic. Cover with salt and water mixture and seal with air tight lid. Ready to eat in a week.

Pickled mixed vegetables - Kabis Khoudra

1 cauliflower
2 peppers
6 carrots
1 cabbage
2 peppers
Option-small onions and green tomatoes
Garlic
2 cups of cut string beans

1. Wash and cut vegetable in 2 inch pieces. Boil cauliflower and carrots for three minutes. Shred cabbage.
2. Place all ingredients in large sterilized jar and cover with salt water solution and seal with an airtight top.

Pickled stuffed peppers - Kabis fuleyfleh mihshi

Same recipe as mixed vegetable as a stuffing
6 large peppers

Stuff cored green pepper. Place in sterilized jar, cover with pickling solution and seal with an air tight top.

Hint: Some people claim the use of 90 percent salt liquid to 10 percent vinegar is best.

Eggplant pickles - Kabbis baytinjan

Small eggplants
Hot red chili peppers
Garlic

1. Boil small eggplant 10 minutes and slit on once side. Cool and drain and, then, insert a hot red chili pepper in each eggplant.
2. Place in jars. Add cloves of garlic, and cover with salt solution and seal.

Eggplant and walnuts - Makdos

24 small eggplant
2 lbs walnuts
48 cloves garlic (2 garlic cloves for each eggplant)
olive oil
hot chili peppers
salt

1. Wash and stem eggplant. Boil the eggplant from 3 to 10 mimures until tender to touch.
Hint: Invert plate on top of eggplant to ensure that all are covered with water. Eggplants have a tendency to float in boiling water.
2. Remove from water. Slit one side, and squeeze out excess water with your hand.
3. Set on a strainer and let drain for at least 1 day.
4. Next day, chop nuts, mix with salt and mashed garlic & pepper to make a stuffing. In pocket of eggplant, place 1 T of nut mixture, close pocket, and place in sterilized jar one next to the other tightly. Turn jar upside down to drain out any excess water.
Leave upside down for a day and a half-to make sure there is no more water.
5. Return jar upright and fill only half of the jar with olive oil. Leave a day or two in this manner. If by then, the olive oil has not covered all the eggplants, add more olive oil to cover all eggplant. Eggplant will be ready to serve in 2 to 3 weeks.