Zubereitung

1. 1

   Weigh the salt precisely and bring it to the boil with the water until it has dissolved; 30 g per litre gives a brine with 3 % salt, which inhibits unwanted microbes. Let the brine cool completely, then stir in the cider vinegar.

2. 2

   Thoroughly wash two 1-litre jars with lids, ideally swing-top jars or screw-top jars with plastic lids, and rinse them with very hot water; a metal lid must not come into contact with the vegetables or the brine. Wash the vegetables thoroughly.

3. 3

   Divide the cauliflower into small florets, peel the carrots and cut them into finger-thick sticks, quarter the cucumbers lengthways, and deseed the peppers and cut them into wide rings. Peel the beetroot wearing disposable gloves, as it stains heavily, and cut it into thin slices; peel the garlic.

4. 4

   Place two slices of beetroot, three garlic cloves, half the dill and one chili pepper in the bottom of each jar. Layer the remaining vegetables, nicely mixed, tightly and firmly on top, tucking the remaining beetroot slices in between, and leave 2 to 3 cm of space at the top.

5. 5

   Pour the cold brine over until all the vegetables are covered. Fill a small freezer bag for each jar with a little brine, seal it well and lay it on top as a weight so that no piece sticks out of the brine, because only vegetables below the brine are protected.

6. 6

   Close the jars loosely, stand them on a plate, as brine can overflow, and leave them to ferment at room temperature, about 18 to 22 °C and out of the sun, for five to seven days. Open them briefly once a day to let gas escape and check that everything is still below the brine.

7. 7

   The Tirşî is ready when the brine is cloudy and pink and smells sour, and the vegetables taste pleasantly sour but are still crunchy. Then remove the bags, close the jars tightly and put them in the fridge, where the vegetables will slowly continue to sour.

8. 8

   A flat white film on the surface is kahm yeast, which is harmless, and can be skimmed off; if there is fuzzy or coloured mould, slimy vegetables or a putrid smell, throw everything away. Always take the Tirşî out with a clean fork.

9. 9

   Tip: Fermentation produces histamine; anyone who doesn't tolerate it should eat Tirşî only rarely or leave it out. In the fridge it keeps under the brine for two to three months; it cannot be frozen, because the vegetables go soft. As a shop-bought shortcut, mixed Turşu from a Turkish grocer will do, although it is usually pickled in vinegar rather than lacto-fermented.