Spiced Japanese Knotweed Pickles is a modern British recipe for a classic quick pickle of Japanese knotweed stem rounds in a spiced vinegar, water and sugar pickle. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Spiced Japanese Knotweed Pickles.
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For this pickle you can use slightly more mature stems, or the base of Japanese knotweed tips. The pieces you are looking for here are more mature where the stem has become hollow. These are stouter and with thicker skin so you'll need to peel them and cut into rounds before pickling. These pickles have a crunchy texture with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. They're great served to accompany fried, grilled or barbecued fish and come into their own with barbecued pork.
Ingredients:
300g Japanese knotweed stalks, peeled and cut into 2cm lengths
500ml white vinegar
250ml water
100g sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
Method:
To wash the Japanese knotweed stalks I typically put them in a large bowl, cover with water then use a scouring pad to remove any ingrained dirt. I then run a sharp knife along the stem to remove any leaf scales then I wash them again before peeling with a potato peeler and cutting into 2cm lengths,
Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until all the sugar and salt have dissolved.
At this point add the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, chilli flakes and the garlic slices. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes for the spices to infuse into the vinegar solution.
Gently pack the knotweed into a cleaned and sterilized glass jar with a vinegar-proof lid (I like to warm this in a low oven beforehand).
Once the jar has been filled with knotweed pieces, pour over the hot pickling liquid, making sure that the knotweed pieces are fully submerged.
Seal the jar tightly with the vinegar-proof lid then set aside to cool to room temperature before labelling. Store in a cool dry cupboard away from the light and allow to mature for at least 48 hours before opening. During this time invert the jar a few times every day to re-distribute the spices.
