Marieke’s Eggplant Pickle
My family are pickle and chutney lovers. They won’t settle for a commercial product off the supermarket shelf, or even a gourmet product from the deli, they want their sauces to be homemade from fresh ripe seasonal produce, with real spices and best quality vinegar. They inherited this trait from me and I from my frugal Mum who would never have considered buying such products.
The recipes my Mum followed were given to her by dear friend, a farm girl by heart and habit. She grew most of the family’s fruit and vegetables in a plot beside the house, in a time and place that self sufficiency was an honest and genuine way of life, not a new age escape from the modern world. Good housekeeping was based on making the best of what the land gave you and wasting nothing, so she preserved fruit and vegetables for the lean season. Many of her recipes for pickles and chutneys I still make today.
Ginger, garlic and chilli however are relatively recent inclusions into our everyday flavour choices, as are eggplants. This pickle has a deep connection to the flavours of India, and I love it on Italian sausages! Multiculturalism is alive and well in my kitchen.
Steamed basmati rice with a generous topping of natural yoghurt and and a dollop of either this eggplant pickle or my homemade kasaundi are fast food in our house.
We also love chutney and pickles on grilled and barbequed lamb and sausages, cold roast lamb and beef, sharp cheddar cheese, vegetable fritters, ham, poached eggs, pork terrine,
Marieke is my inspiration for all things Indian!
1 kg eggplants
2 tablespoons salt
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 chillis, finely chopped
50 g peeled root ginger
1 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoons cumin seed
1 teaspoons white mustard seed
1 teaspoon brown mustard seed
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 tablespoons peanut oil
400 mls white wine vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
Wash, dice and salt the eggplants. Leave them to drain.
After 20 minutes, rinse the eggplants and pat dry.
Process the ginger, garlic and chillis to a paste.
Dry roast the seeds, add the ginger, garlic, chilli and a little oil.
Sauté for a few minutes then add the eggplant, vinegar and sugar.
Bring the pot to the boil then lower the heat then simmer uncovered until the eggplants thicken.
Spoon into sterile jars and seal while hot. A vacuum will form as the jars cool.
Eggplant pickle will keep for up to 12 months
Refrigerate after opening
To sterilize jars, place freshly washed jars in the oven for 1/2 hour at 120C. Bring the lids to the boil in a saucepan of water and boil for 5 minutes.
About ladyredspecs
26 comments on “Marieke’s Eggplant Pickle”
Leave a comment
Creative Commons Copyright Licence
Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
Am drooling on keyboard. Looks amazing. Bet it tastes incredible.
LikeLike
Marieke’s eggplant pickle IS incredibly delicious, a pickle like no other I have ever tasted.
LikeLike
I had intended to pickle eggplant last Summer but the season got away from me. Now I’ll make 2 batches, one of them being your recipe. I like the idea of some chilis and ginger in the mix. Combined with that spice mix, this is one flavorful pickle. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Always a pleasure to share, I should thank you for reading my posts and commenting! Yes it’s a very tasty pickle! I have to be very disciplined about making pickle each autumn. It seems to put so much pressure on me at the time, but I’m always pleased that I have the filled jars on the pantry shelf.
LikeLike
I always love reading your blog Sandra. You are a wealth of information. Sharing these traditional recipes handed down are priceless. I wish we could live with the good housekeeping idea of making the best of what the land gave you and wasting nothing.
LikeLike
Thanks you Seana, I really value your nice words!! I was incredibly fortunate as a child to be exposed to both rural and urban lifestyles, the continual struggle of one and the reckless consumption of the other. It had a bigger impact on me than I ever realised until I started my blog and thinking about what drove me to cook what I did. It’s become a lot more encompassing than economics or ethics, it’s about what we like to eat too.
LikeLike
Very interesting insight. I’m realizing so much through blogging too Sandra. Economics were a part of my upbringing in terms of the food my mom prepared. We always had a garden and beans were served quite often. My folks had six children they were trying to feed. I have one teenage son and keeping up with his appetite is quite a challenge. Unlike my poor parents we do cook what we like to eat too. I couldn’t imagine cooking only what I could afford to put on the table. I can’t say I would have a cooking blog…that’s for sure! 🙂
LikeLike
wow… I love eggplants, no matter where… your recipe is really inspiring! I wish my family had the same habit than yours…
LikeLike
Maybe this would convert them!
LikeLike
Too right – homemade pickles and chutneys from fresh produce are the best! I’ve Never thought of doing this with aubergine. When they are in season here, I’ll have to give it a try.
LikeLike
Oh do, I think you’d be happy, it’s a delicious spicy pickle
LikeLike
Never been a fan of store bought chutneys. Maybe it’s time I tried the real deal. Sounds delicious.
LikeLike
Thanks.You’ll never look back after you’ve made your own!
LikeLike
Sounds like we all have aubergines ready to use up in this lovely recipe.
LikeLike
I have an eggplant sitting in my pantry and I will make this tomorrow! Thanks for the inspiration.
LikeLike
I hope you enjoy the pickle Aneela, I’m sure you’ll be able to put an authentic touch to it
LikeLike
I dig your family wanting the home made pickles and chutneys. I just bought a bottle of eggplant-garlic spread from Trader Joe’s (do you have this chain market in Australia?), only because I never tried to make one. Now, you inspired me to try. We have good eggplants year round, no excuses there.
LikeLike
Eggplant pickle is so easy to make Fae, do give it a try. No Trader Joe hasn’t come down-under but it’s probably only a matter of time.
LikeLike
Am not particularly ‘into’ pickles and chutneys, but do prefer homemade, love eggplant and all things Indian, seem to have all the required ingredients: so shall definitely try! Thanks for the inspiration!!
LikeLike
Thanks Eha, I suggest you just make half quantity to see if the pickle suits your taste, I’d love to hear your assessment
LikeLike
Eggplant pickle sounds so good! I Love chutneys and pickles too – they just make a simple meal so delicious~
LikeLike
Eggplant pickle is good Indu, and you’re spot on when you say they can make a simple meal a feast!
LikeLike
Great recipe! Eggplants are everywhere now. I recently made a plum chutney, which worked really well. So would love to stretch my chutney wings and try the eggplant chutney too. 🙂
LikeLike
Plum chutney is great, we love it too. The profile of this eggplant pickle is deep and spicy and offers a yummy alternative.
LikeLike
A very timely recipe with eggplants now in abundance. I agree with you e home made pickles and chutneys. A dollop of kausundi on toasted cheese is heavenly fast food. And chutneys are so easy to make.
LikeLike
Francesca if you, like us, are a kasaundi fan I urge you to try this eggplant pickle. It’s a wonderful alternative
LikeLike