Persian Sour Cucumbers (Torshi-ye Khiar Shoor)

While traveling in Seattle, I had lunch in a soup-and-sandwich shop owned by a Persian who, much to my dismay, advertised but did not serve soup. He said it was too expensive to take the “soup” off his storefront sign. But I noticed he displayed jars of Persian Sour Cucumbers (Torshi-Ye Khiar Shor), which went well with the delicious handmade calzone he served us. Yes, culture travels in wide circles.

This recipes makes 2 quarts.

– Recipe by Bill Hettig

Ingredients for Persian Sour Cucumbers:

• 2 pounds of fresh pickling cucumbers with the ends trimmed.
• 8 sliced garlic cloves (2-3 tablespoons).
• 2 sprigs of fresh tarragon (or 2 teaspoons dried).
• ¼ cup of fresh parsley, stemmed and packed.
• 1 teaspoon of cracked coriander seed.
• 1 teaspoon of anise seed.
• 1 teaspoon of peppercorns, cracked or coarsely ground.
• 2 crushed bay leaves.
• 4 cups of tap water.
• ⅓ cup table salt.
• 2 tablespoons of Celtic Sea Salt or other premium brand for the brine.

Directions for Persian Sour Cucumbers:

1. Dissolve table salt in 4 cups of tap water. Soak cucumbers in salt solution for 30 minutes (place a small saucer on top to keep submerged). Rinse and discard brine. Don’t slice the cucumbers.
2. Crush the bay leaves and add to a clean 2 quart jar.
3. Add the spices & herbs to the jar along with a sprig of tarragon (if using) and some parsley leaves.
4. Lay the jar on its side and lay in the cucumbers, packing as tight as you can without crushing them.
5. Add the remaining parsley.
6. Make a salt water brine solution. To do this, dissolve salt in filtered water at a ratio of 2 tablespoons of salt to 4 cups of water for this 2-quart batch.
7. Fill your 2-quart jar with this brine solution until about 1 inch from the jar lip.
8. Use some sort of weighty object to hold the cucumbers under the brine solution. Be sure to place the jar in your sink as you do this as there is sure to be spillage. We sell our brine overflow cup as a weight here: Brine “Catch” Cup – Wide Mouth
9. Remove the cup and wipe any debris on the lip of the cup and the jar, then put the cup back in. Install a Lid Gasket inside a Wide Mouth Fermenter Lid. Tighten the lid until its snug.
10. Add tap water to a ClearView Airlock to the max line. Now gently insert the airlock into the hole of the fermenter lid until snug. Make sure not to push too deeply into the lid. As the fermentation happens, the water should move back and forth, and bubbles should move through the airlock, this is correct and indicates a tight seal.
11. Write down the date you began fermentation on the lid using a Lid Marking Pen. After 4 days, check to see if the Persian Sour Cucumbers are sour enough for you. If they are not, just add a day and re-check.

For even better and more delectable recipes, check out our Fermentation Recipe Booklet, where you will find many recipes, tips and tricks to brine pickling, and so much more!