A Soul Food Favorite: Chow-Chow Relish

By Kathy Smith


Chow chow is a spicy, green tomato relish that is a favorite condiment in the South. People like to use it on pinto beans, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, pork, and also black-eyed peas. Chow chow is known for being a slightly hot and spicy vegetable relish.

Chow chow is typically made from chopped green tomatoes and cabbage which, of course, give it its' distinctive green appearance. It gets its spiciness from mustard seed, onions, hot peppers, sweet peppers, and vinegar. Other optional ingredients include cucumbers, celery, carrots, beans, corn in addition to cauliflower. Nevertheless, this isn't a "strict" recipe and just about any type of leftover vegetables can be utilised for example cucumbers, radishes, and red tomatoes.

The word "relish" hails from the word "reles" meaning "something remaining" in Traditional French, which surely complements this kind of course. Regardless of where chow chow has come from, at least one thing is for sure: it has been in the Southern U.S. for more than 200 years.


Ingredients for chow chow:


nine lbs of green tomatoes
6 lbs . of yellow or white onions, peeled and finely diced
6 cups of water
1 cup of salt
four cups of white wine vinegar
4 tbsps of pickling seasonings
2 1/2 pounds light brown sugar
2 1/2 lbs . white sugar
1/2 cup of cornstarch
one teaspoon turmeric
two teaspoons of dry mustard
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced


Directions:


Get your diced green tomatoes together with the onions in a very, very big bowl and add four cups of the water plus all of the salt. Allow the mixture to marinate for at least eight hrs, although twelve hrs is much better, covered up inside of the fridge.

Strain well in a colander and after that set the tomatoes and onions into a hefty pan together with white vinegar, two cups of water and pickling spice.


Bring to a boil on high temperature after which minimize temperature to low and simmer for a half hour. Add all the white and brown sugar and allow to simmer for another 30 minutes.


In a smaller bowl, incorporate the corn starch, mustard as well as tumeric and slowly add it to the simmering cooking pot, being sure that it results in being well blended. Add in the diced red bell pepper and garlic and simmer for the next 1 1/2 to 2 hrs or until such time as thick. And lastly, spoon all the chow chow inside of tupperware within your fridge or in the freezer to be stored for up to six months.




About the Author:



Grab The Post URL

URL:
HTML link code:
BB (forum) link code:

Leave a comment

  • Google+
  • 0Blogger
  • Facebook
  • Disqus

0 Response to "A Soul Food Favorite: Chow-Chow Relish"

Post a Comment

comments powered by Disqus