About this Dish
A fiery pickled slaw of cabbage, carrot, and Scotch bonnet peppers.
History & Origin
No Haitian table is complete without pikliz — a sharp, spicy condiment that cuts through rich, fried foods like griot and fried plantain.
IngredientsServes 4
🥬Green cabbage, 1/2 small head, finely shredded
🥕Carrots, 2 medium, julienned or grated
🫑Green bell pepper, 1 small, thinly sliced
🌶️Scotch bonnet peppers, 3-4 whole, stems removed and halved
🧅Shallots, 3 medium, thinly sliced
🧄Garlic cloves, 4, thinly sliced
🌿Fresh thyme, 6 sprigs
🧂Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons
🫙White distilled vinegar, 1 to 1.5 cups
🫒Whole black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon
Method
1
Shred the cabbage finely, julienne the carrots, and thinly slice the bell pepper, shallots, and garlic. Wear gloves when handling the Scotch bonnets — halve them but leave the seeds in for maximum heat.2
Place all the vegetables, Scotch bonnets, garlic, shallots, thyme sprigs, and black peppercorns into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and use your hands to massage and squeeze everything together for about 2 minutes until the cabbage begins to soften and release some liquid.3
Pack the mixture tightly into a clean 1-quart glass jar or two smaller jars, pressing everything down firmly so the vegetables are compact.4
Pour the white vinegar over the packed vegetables until everything is fully submerged. You may need the full 1.5 cups depending on your jar size — the vegetables must be covered.5
Seal the jar tightly and give it a gentle shake. Leave it at room temperature for at least 24 hours before using, though 3 days gives a much more developed, tangy flavour.6
After the first day, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. Pikliz keeps well for up to 3-4 weeks in the fridge and actually gets better over time as the flavours meld.7
Serve pikliz as a condiment alongside griot, fried plantains, rice and beans, or use it to brighten any dish that needs heat and acidity — a little goes a long way!User Reviews
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