Curtido Salvadoreño (by Ashley)

Introduction

Curtido is a colorful pickled cabbage side, most commonly used as a topping for Pupusas. For explanation's sake, I would like to introduce Curtido as a condiment, however I feel that reducing it to an optional, add-on like ketchup or mustard would reduce its unique, flavorful existence. You will find different Curtido recipes depending on the pupuserias or restaurants you visit, but I guarantee that the one I have provided below will have a great flavor complexity. This is the recipe my mom taught me to make a few years ago to serve along with tamales on Buena Noche, made with lots of yelling and nagging, but always with love and convivio.

Ingredients

• Palm full of oregano
• A pinch of Whole black peppercorn
• ¼ tsp Cumin
• Medium sized cabbage
• 10 Chile de arbol rojo (or to taste)
• Red onion (1 onion in lascas)
• 3 whole bay leaves
• 2 large carrots ralladas
• 1 tbsp salt or to taste
• 3 teeth of garlic or to taste
• Water
• Apple cider vinegar 32 oz.

If desired: 1 tsp of Olive Oil

Steps

1. Blend chile alone in blender to achieve dry flakes (instead of soft or emulsified effect). Optional: Separate a few Chiles to add whole for decoration in glass pickled jar.
2. Blend ½ a cup of water and vinegar, oregano, whole peppercorns, cumin, and salt.
3. Chop cabbage finely, peel carrots into strips, and cut onions into rings. Place ingredients in a large bowl with hot water (just enough to fully cover). Add a ½ tsp of salt to water and stir.
4. In a large glass pickling jar with a wide mouth, place liquified spice/vinegar content, flaky chile, and bay leaves; stir.
5. Crumble oregano into pickling jar, also add garlic into jar, stir. If desired: add olive oil.
6. Add an extra cup of room temperature water, and an extra cup of vinegar, stir
7. Drain soaking vegetables from water, begin to transfer vegetable mix one portion at a time into jar, stir to combine Optional: add whole chiles, and a few whole peppercorns at this time.
8. Continue to fill jar. Once you have filled to container an inch to the brim, all solid ingredients should be submerged in liquid, if not add vinegar.
9. Tightly close jar.
10. Ferment overnight. In the morning it should be ready to serve. Refrigerate for storage.

Can be served with Tamales salvadoreños (made with oja de platano), pupusas, fried yucca, on top of rice and chicken, with quesadillas, etc.