Čalamáda: Slovak refrigerator pickled vegetables

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Slice the vegetables

   Wash and trim the vegetables, then cut them into thin slices or strips. Coarsely grate the cabbage or shred it with a cucumber slicer. Toss everything together in a large bowl.

2. Add the seasonings and vinegar

   In a second bowl, mix the salt, sugar, peppercorns, broken bay leaves, citric acid, and Borken. Sprinkle the mixture over the vegetables, pour in the vinegar, and mix thoroughly, preferably with your hands.

3. Let the vegetables release their juices

   Let the vegetables stand for 6–7 hours to release their juices.

4. Fill the jars

   Pack the vegetables tightly into clean jars all the way to the rim, then pour over the juices remaining in the bowl. Add a hot chili pepper to each jar if desired.

5. Let the flavors develop

   Close the jars tightly and refrigerate. Start eating the čalamáda as early as the next day. The vinegar ratio in this recipe has not been verified, and the jars are not heat-processed, so store them only in the refrigerator and eat the contents within a few days, following the guidance of the U.S. National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) for pickling liquids with unknown acidity. Do not leave the jars in a cool place outside the refrigerator for weeks. For winter storage, use only čalamáda that has been canned and heat-processed according to a verified recipe.

   Source: sladky-zivot.sk

Tip: Press the vegetables down in the jars with a spoon to remove air bubbles and keep them completely submerged in their juices. If you cannot eat this much čalamáda within a few days, make half a batch.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Čalamáda bez sterilizácie z kapusty, uhoriek a papriky