Sweet Cucumber Relish is a sweet, crunchy and pickled relish that is ideal to liven up your sandwiches, burgers, salads and more.
4.32 from 41 votes
Prep Time 20 minutesmins
Cook Time 6 minutesmins
Course chutney, relish, sides
Cuisine American, British
Servings 5jars
Calories 253kcal
Equipment
Large bowl
Large saucepan
wooden spoon
colander
Tea towel
5 glass jam jars with lids
Ingredients
1.3kgCucumberapprox. 3 cucumbers
1red bell pepper
1onionlarge
100gramssalt
1teaspoonturmeric
1teaspoondill seed
1teaspoonpink peppercorns
1/2teaspoonpickling spiceIf you don't have pickling spice use mustard seeds
200gramssugar
600millilitrescider vinegar
25gramscornflour
Instructions
Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Discard the seeds.
Finely chop the cucumbers into dice of approximately 1 cm.
Deseed the red pepper and dice finely.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Place all the vegetables in a large non-metallic bowl and add the salt, mix the salt though the vegetables. Cover with a tea towel or cling film and leave for at least 2 hours or overnight.
When you remove the cover you will see that there is now a pool of liquid. Drain the vegetables in a colander.
Thoroughly rinse the vegetables with cold water, I use several changes of water. Because if you don't get the salt out at this stage then your finished relish will be too salty.
Then place the vegetables into a clean tea towel and twist to squeeze out all the excess water.
Sterilise the jars by washing, rinsing and placing in the oven at 110C for 20 minutes.
Roughly crush the whole spices in a mortar and pestle or in a bowl with the end of a rolling pin, or in a spice grinder. Add the turmeric and the cornflour and mix.
Put the vinegar and sugar into a large pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil.
Remove two tablespoons of the hot vinegar and leave to cool. Then add to the spices and cornflour and blend together
Add the vegetables to the vinegar and sugar and bring back to the boil. Then add the spice and cornflour mix and cook for 3 minutes stirring.
Ladle into the sterilised jars. Leave for 6 weeks to mature before using.
Notes
Once you have added the spice and cornflour mixture, be careful that the mixture does not stick to the bottom on the pan. If it seems to thick add a little more vinegar.