Salt-water pickles

[not2late]

Easy-peasy recipe I found in An Invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey.
I did a web search and found variations on these pickles, including using daikon radishes, radishes, carrots, etc. or by changing the spices.

Turnip Water Pickles
5 tablespoons black mustard seeds
3 pounds medium-size white turnips
1 1/3 tablespoon salt
4 quarts water
2 whole dried hot chilies (optional)

Coarsely grind the mustard seeds. Set aside.

Bring the water to a boil and add the salt.

Peel and slice the turnips. Put them into clean 5-6 quart jars with lids. Pour in the boiling salt water to cover them. Add the mustard seeds and chilis. Cool. Stir with a clean wooden spoon and put the lid on.

Stir with a clean wooden spoon daily for 7 days.

The vegetable and the juice may be consumed.

The pickle will remain edible for up to 2 weeks. It become more sour as it ages. To slow the aging, add alittle more salt to the pickle and refrigerate.

The cookbook has a carrot-beet recipe. Follow the same process, but use 1 1/2 peeled sliced raw carrots and 2 peeled sliced raw beets. Likewise, both the veggies and the juice can be consumed.

I tried the turnip recipe. It's very good. However, I thought it was sour enough on Day 4.

editing to add...

I didn't make the full recipe. I halved the water and salt ingredients. I used 2 turnips which fit nicely into a glass sauerkraut jar I had. Then I poured enough boiling salt water to cover the turnips completely. I liked the flavors of the chili and mustard seed. But next time, I'll add a few garlic cloves and maybe some pearl onions to the turnip pickle.