Marnie's crunchy kamokamo pickle

MAKES: 6 JARS

PREPARATION TIME: INITIAL PREPARATION OF THE KAMOKAMO TAKES PLACES OVER TWO DAYS, WITH THE PICKLE MADE ON THE THIRD DAY COOKING TIME FOR THE PICKLE: AROUND 30 MINUTES

Ingredients

For approx. 1.6 kilo of kamokamo:

2/3 cup of salt (to prepare the kamokamo)

4 cups white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

2 cups white sugar

2 tsp whole pickling spices

2 tsp medium curry powder

1 tsp whole coriander seeds

1 tsp whole mustard seeds

1 tsp black pepper corns

1 tsp (large) turmeric powder

fresh sprig of fresh dill for each jar (optional)

Method

Slice the kamokamo into bite-sized pieces and place in a plastic container such as a bowl or a bucket (don’t use aluminum) and sprinkle around 1/3 of the cup of table salt over the kamokamo.

Toss to mix. Cover with a tea towel or loosefitting lid and keep in a cool place, but not in the fridge. Leave for 24 hours, drain, and then rinse thoroughly.

Make sure all the water is drained away, then repeat the salting process and leave for another 24 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. You are now ready to make the pickle.

Sterilise glass jars and lids by washing them in hot water with detergent. Rinse and transfer to them to an oven set at about 100–140ºC for approximately 20 minutes.

Pour the vinegar into a large pot, add the sliced onion and cook over a medium heat until the onion has softened. Add the sugar and spices and bring to the boil. Simmer for a short while to infuse the flavours and ensure the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste the liquid and adjust the spices to your own liking. Bring the liquid back to the boil, and then add the kamokamo and cook for a further 2 minutes only – this is important to retain the crunch.

Remove kamokamo from the liquid with a sieved spoon and firmly pack each jar. Lastly, add a sprig of dill, if you have it, and pour over the liquid to cover the kamokamo and seal.