Torshi Soorati (Red Cabbage & Onion Pickle)

An easy pickle made from red cabbage and red onion. Ready to eat in 5 days, this vibrant pink pickle is a perfect accompaniment to a range of dishes.

What is Torshi?

Torshi is derived from the word ‘Torsh’ in Farsi, which means sour. Torshi is used to describe vegetables pickled in vinegar. They are often eaten as accompaniments to dishes and / or aperitifs. On a Persian sofreh (spread) you will always find some Torshi.

The sour taste of the pickles perfectly complements many of our dishes, particularly those containing lamb, as it brings a balance to the richness of the flavours.

How to Make Torshi Soorati

Thinly slice red cabbage and red onion. Place in a pickling jar (I am a fan of kilner jars) with coriander seeds. Dissolve the sugar and salt in white vinegar and pour into the jar. Leave for a minimum of 5 days to pickle. It is as simple as that!

‘Soorati’ means pink in Farsi and the pickle has been given this name as the resulting colour is a vibrant pink. A very versatile pickle suiting many cuisines, including Indian and Asian style dishes.

Eat Torshi Soorati With…

This pickle is delicious with so many dishes. Add to fried egg sandwiches, eat with kebab, burgers and wraps such as my sticky pomegranate chicken wraps. A perfect side to noodles too!

The Pickling Liquid

You may be left with some pickling liquid once the pickles are finished. Use it as a basis for a salad dressing. Just add olive oil and adjust with other flavourings such as a bit of lime juice and / or honey.

Print Recipe

Torshi Soorati

Red cabbage and red onion pickle

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Pickling Time5 days d

Total Time5 days d 20 minutes mins

Course: Appetiser, Accompaniment

Cuisine: Persian, Iranian

Keyword: torshi, pickle

Servings: 1 litre jar of pickles

Author: Mersedeh Prewer

Ingredients

• 1 red onion
• 1/2 small red cabbage
• 500 ml white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp whole coriander seeds
• 1 litre pickling jar (sterilised)

Instructions

• Finely slice red onion and red cabbage and mix in a bowl.
• Place into jar and add a sprinkle of coriander seeds after each layer of the mixture until you reach the top of the jar. Make sure you pack the vegetables tightly in the jar by pressing each layer down.
• Dissolve sugar and salt in vinegar and pour in up to the neck of the jar. Push the vegetable mix down to pack and squeeze in more of the veg, if you can. Pour in more vinegar if required.
• Close the lid tightly and leave the jar in a cool dark place like a pantry for 5 days. Once opened store in fridge.