What is Pickled Turnips?
Pickled turnips are a popular condiment in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. They are typically made by fermenting turnips in a brine solution of water, vinegar, and salt. Sometimes, a piece of beetroot is added to the mix to give the turnips a vibrant pink color. The pickling process infuses the turnips with a tangy, slightly salty flavor and a crisp texture. They are often enjoyed as an accompaniment to sandwiches, falafel, shawarma, or as part of a mezze platter. Their bright color and zesty taste make them a refreshing addition to many dishes.
What does Pickled Turnips Taste Like?
Sour is one of the five main tastes. It is tart and bright, sometimes with a mouth-puckering quality. Sour is a naturally occurring flavor found in many foods, including citrus, vinegar, various dairy products, and certain fruits. Sour is used to enhance a dish or drink and is used as both a main and complimentary flavor.
Ingredients
Turnips are a root vegetable with leafy green tops that grow up to a foot or so. The leaves are edible, but the round shaped root is the part most commonly eaten. Turnips can be as small as a gold ball and more commonly are slightly smaller than a tennis ball. They have a dense and woody texture when raw. Their skin is light purple at the top and blends into white. Each radish has a tail that is usually removed before eating. The inside of the vegetable is white and when cooked becomes cream colored and tastes sweet and earthy.
Water is a substance and chemical compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen. It is clear, fluid, flavorless and odorless. Water is a necessity in nearly every aspect of life, including cooking, baking and hydrating the human body. Water can be served as a cold beverage, or at any temperature comfortable to the mouth and skin.
Vinegar is made from alcohol. It can be made from wine, fermented apple, grains and other sources. Healthy bacteria is used to ferment this product. The final result is a thin liquid used to season foods. All vinegar is sour. White vinegar has a sharp sour flavor and is clear. Red wine vinegar is a clear red color and tastes a bit more rounded. Balsamic vinegar is dark red or brown and tastes rich, fruity and sour. There are many other kinds of vinegar, each with its own unique flavor profile. Some types of vinegar are suited to specific flavors and cuisines. It is used in sauces and in dishes both sweet and savory.
Beets are a root vegetable with dark green leaves, a thin purple stock and an earthy red root bulb that grows under the soil. The round root is the most commonly used part of the plant in food preparation. It has a sweet and earthy taste, with a dense texture, that when cooked can be quite soft. The color of a cooked beet is a bright magenta. Beets can be roasted, boiled, pan cooked and used in a variety of dishes across cuisines.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
Sugar comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugar is extracted from the juice of both plants and refined into the granulated substance known as sugar. Sucrose, the sweet substance of sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. White sugar is composed of tiny white, dry granules. The flavor is sweet and neutral. Brown sugar is brown and has more moisture, with a richer flavor that hints at molasses. Sugar is used in both sweet and savory foods.
Garlic is used in cuisines around the world and is extremely popular for its depth of flavor. The garlic bulb forms underneath the soil and is harvested once it reaches maturity. The bulb typically has thin, dry, white and flaky skin, surrounding the individual cloves. Often there are 10-12 cloves to a bulb/head of garlic. The cloves are cream colored with a strong smell and flavor that is spicy and sharp. Garlic takes on a nutty flavor in addition, when cooked. It is used in countless dishes, sauces, breads and more.
Bay leaves are commonly bought dried, though can be used fresh. Once dried, they are a muted green color, bordering on grey. Each end comes to a point and the scent is green, floral and similar to thyme. One or two bay leaves are enough to flavor a large pot of soup. The flavor it lends is herbal and almost spicy, without any heat. Bay leaves should not be consumed as the flavor is pungent and bitter when not distributed through a dish.
