We are travelling back to Lebanon this week for a taste of pickled turnips!

Located on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, it borders Israel and Syria and has been an independent country since 1943. Its culture and traditions have evolved over the years and borrow elements from various civilizations spanning thousands of years. 

Ever since my son and I watched the Waffles and Mochi episode on Pickles, he’s been asking to pickle something. So we settled on one of my favorites: left or pickled turnips. These are quite common in Sephardic and Lebanese cuisine. You also find them in Israel as a traditional accompaniment to falafel and hummus. Aside from being novel (how often do you eat turnips?) and tasty and easy to make, they’re super fun because they are hot pink! A beet slice in the jar is what gives them their color. 

Here’s my recipe, adapted from Claudia Roden’s Book of Jewish Food. 

Ingredients

1 kg turnips

1 beet, raw or cooked, peeled, and cut into slices

3 or 4 garlic cloves, cut in half

850 ml water

3-4 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

1-1 ½ tablespoons salt

2 chili peppers (optional)

Method

• Peel the turnips and cut them into thick French fry-sized pieces. 
• Put the turnips in a 2 liter jar (or several smaller ones) interspersed with the slices of beet and garlic and optional chilis. 
• In the meanwhile, add the water to a pan and bring to a boil with the salt and vinegar, stirring to dissolve the salt. 
• Then pour over the turnips to the brim of the jar. Reserve any extra liquid as it will evaporate as it cools. 
• Once cool, close the jar(s), topping off with any of the remaining brine or with water. 

Store for 4 or 5 days in a dark cupboard. Then move to the refrigerator. 

I like to wait a week before opening them, but really you can eat them anytime. The flavor will change the longer you leave them in the brine. 

Please check this article on how to properly sterilise jars before use.

Little Hands Can

2-4-years-olds

• Wash the turnips
• Add the turnips, beet, and garlic to the jar

5-7-years-olds

• Chop and peel the turnips and beet (under adult supervision)
• Wash the turnips
• Add the turnips, beet, and garlic to the jar
• Bring water to a boil

7+

• Chop and peel the turnips and beet (under adult supervision)
• Wash the turnips
• Add the turnips, beet, and garlic to the jar
• Bring water to a boil
• Pour hot water in the jar (under adult supervision)

You might also like these articles from the Bébé Voyage Blog:

Falafel from Egypt: Delicious Recipes From Around The World!

Hummus From Lebanon! Recipes From Around The World