Curried Courgette Sandwich Pickle

One moment you are admiring the cute little courgettes sprouting beneath the foliage, next minute bulbous marrows bathe lazily in the sun.

Courgettes (aka zucchini) are delicious but once left to grow into marrow, the flesh becomes more floury and the skin bitter. Not all is lost however, both are easy to preserve as I’ve rediscovered. There’s nothing like a chunky pickle steeped in flavour for a dagwood sandwich or cheese platter.

Inspired by a colleague in a similar predicament, I have adapted a recipe and created a delicious Indian-inspired sandwich pickle: Curried Courgette.  I say courgette loosely, as this recipe is probably best suited for marrow that otherwise could go to waste.

If you can time it right, prep on Day 1 and bottle on Day 2 which allows for the salt to do its magic and extract the excess water and bitterness, as you would do with eggplant or cucumber before pickling. This also helps the marrow maintain its shape rather than going mushy when cooked.

Curried Courgette Sandwich Pickle

Ingredients

• 2kg courgette (or marrow), green or yellow
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp mustard seed, yellow
• 2 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 Tbsp garam masala
• 1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 3 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4-5 tsp of crushed garlic
• 3 red chilli, deseeded
• 3 cups cider vinegar
• 2 cups brown sugar

Method

1. Wipe the courgette/marrow and cut off each end. Dice into bite sized cubes and place in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and mix the salt through with your hands. Stand the colander over a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and allow it to rest for several hours (or better still overnight).
2. Drain away the liquid, rinse the salt water off with cold water, then allow to drip dry.
3. Heat a heavy based saucepan and liberally oil. Add mustard and coriander seeds and fry for a few minutes, before adding the other spices. Keep your wooden spoon moving the ingredients around so as to not burn them.
4. Add the finely chopped onion, garlic and chilli, and saute for 5 minutes before adding the diced marrow, vinegar and sugar. Stir well and simmer over a medium heat.
5. Allow the mix to settle and soften and the liquid reduce. Allow 45-90 minutes on low.
6. Pack into clean, warm sterilised jars and using a clean knife, poke into the jars to remove any air bubbles.
7. Seal and store in a dark place. Enjoy!