Recipe Alert: Haitian Pikliz (Picklese)

 

As a chubby little Haitian girl, I was taught the proper way to eat diri ak pwa (Haitian rice and beans), with banan (plantains), and griot (fried pork shoulder chunks) is with pikliz on top. In the Haitian community, not having pikliz on top is damn near a crime and I shield myself from being stoned before I say, I am a repeat offender of leaving the Pikliz out a few times. Thank goodness I have my AMERICAN husband and INDIAN friend to remind me of the importance of pikliz from time to time. If not, the Haitian community would probably revoke my Haitian card.

Pikliz is a spicy cabbage, carrot, and habanero pepper mixture that you can put it on top of any meal that you’d like to add spice or a “kick” to. Or you can do what my husband does and add it into your ground meat when making meatloaf or burger and cook it in there. Hell, put it in your cereal for all I care! Wait! I really wouldn’t advise that, but I’m just saying… With pikliz you can savor the heat from thinly sliced scotch bonnet peppers mixed in with crunchy thinly sliced cabbage and carrots and a few other veggies and spices. While most may prefer hot sauce, Haitians prefer pikliz

I remember watching my mom make it as a kid but could care less about making it myself. As an adult and due to high demand I’ve had to learn how to make it. Why not tell the rest of you how I make it right? Please keep in mind, or not, that I’ve never watched any Haitians that I know measure a damn thing when creating our traditional dishes. We tend to make things by eyeing, and tasting so everything will not be exact but I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out your ratios, but I have listed some measurements.

Ingredients

3 Cups of shredded Cabbage

1 green pepper (finely sliced)

1 Red pepper (finely sliced)

3 Carrots finely sliced (I used a spiralizer)

2 bulks of scallions (diced)

1 red onion (finely sliced)

1 yellow onion (finely sliced)

8 cloves of garlic (finely diced)

15 peppercorns

10-12 Scotch bonnet peppers (finely sliced)

3-4 Cups of white vinegar

1 lime

Take your ingredients and mix them all together in a large bowl. Everything needs to be finely diced to get the flavors to release. After mixing everything, I pour them into mason jars. You should allow it to sit in the refrigerate for at least 5 days before enjoying.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for you cutting your yourself with the knife.

Don’t say I never tried to help spice up you life (see what I just did there?)!