A vibrant colored condiment these Pickled Pearl Onions are perfect for salads, bowls or to serve with Indian dishes!
They come together in under 30 minutes and are perfectly tangy, sweet and super flavorful.
Condiments are such an integral part of any Indian meal. From cilantro chutney, papaya sambharo, pickles, sweet dates tamarind chutney, kachumbar and papad; these all appear so often.
Another condiment popular in Indian cuisine are quick pickles. Something to jazz up salads, bowls or to serve with an Indian meal.
Moreover, onions are so good to enjoy in so many ways. Whether it is thin sliced large onions or the tiny pearl onions or the finely chopped onions to top dishes with.
And once you are hooked to the taste of onions you would want them in one form or another. Raw, sautéed or pickled, onions do taste great in every way!
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What are Quick Pickles
Quick pickles are an instant version of fermented recipes. They are easy to put together; last a few weeks in the refrigerator and can be consumed immediately after making.
These are generally made in a brine using salt, water and vinegar. They are often made with spices and other add-ins.
From carrots, jalapeños, onions, cauliflower, beans and cabbage; we can use them all to make quick pickles. Either by themselves or together; these are perfect!
These Pickled Onions
The Indian version of pickled onions, sirke waale pyaaz is a popular condiment served in Indian restaurants.
Either served individually or with different curries, these mini onions are mellow in spice as they are pickled and have a perfect balance of sweet, tang and salt.
The otherwise strong onions change from spicy to a flavorful blend of spice, sweet and tangy in the ingredients.
They make a great addition to salads, bowls or with Indian curries and rice. And chop them up and add to yogurt or sandwiches.
Why this recipe works
- Sirke waale pyaaz are naturally Vegan and gluten-free.
- These pickled onions come together in under 30 minutes.
- Easy to make, all we need to do is to prepare the brine and transfer to a clean jar.
- We do not use any special equipment or devices for making or canning these.
- As we are not canning, this recipe is not for shelf stable onions.
- I like to use a mix of whole spices or green chili with the the pickled onions.
- This recipe yields a jar full of pickled pearl onions in minutes.
- The recipe is easy to scale up or down. However, I would recommend making a big batch.
- While the recipe calls for pearl onions, we can use the same recipe for larger onions and other vegetables.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pearl Onions: these work the best with the recipe. Remember to remove the tough top and bottom of the onions and the outer layer before starting.
- Spices: Whole spices make the Sirke Waale Pyaaz perfect. I like to add cloves, star anise, cinnamon and black pepper. They add warmth to the onions without overpowering them. Add more or less spices as you like. Also, adding some bay leaves or even curry leaves is a great idea.
- Water and Vinegar: In order to marinate the onions, we need water and vinegar. Using just vinegar will make the onions super tangy. So we use water to dilute the tang. Plus, it is needed to get all the flavors of the spices to get to the onions.
- Beetroot: Store bought or the ones at restaurants tend to vary from pale pink to a bright pink color. The ingredient proportion makes all the difference. In order to get the color without using any artificial colors, we use beetroot. Plus, it adds a little sweetness to the recipe too. However skip them if you do not want the onions to be pink or sweetish.
- Sugar and Salt: In order to make the onions flavorful we add salt and sugar. These are required for a balance in flavors and I would not recommend skipping them. However, maple syrup or honey can be used instead of sugar.
How to make this recipe
1- In a pan add water. Place on a stove and start boiling it. Add the whole spices; i.e. cloves, cinnamon, black pepper and star anise.
2- Add salt and sugar. Mix well.
3- Then add the peeled and chopped beetroot.
4- Bring the brine to a boil.
5- Remove from flame and cool. Then pour it into a mason jar.
6- Add the onions till the jar fills up. Top with vinegar. Then close the lid and set in the refrigerator for a day or two. Enjoy the marinated onions.
Expert Tips and Notes
- Pick onions that look fresh and not wilted and dry. These give the best results in terms of freshness.
- As we use a mix of spices, onions and vinegar; make these in a ventilated room to avoid the rom getting smelly. Alternatively, switch on the stove fan to circulate the air.
- As we do not can these onions or use preservatives, refrigerate once cool. These are definitely not shelf stable.
- Mix and match spices as you like! Use white vinegar instead of any other to get a clear brine. Also, add some green chili if you like them spicy.
- The same recipe can be extended to include carrots, beans and cauliflower too. It does not work particularly well with jalapeños as they need some cooking as in this pickled jalapeño recipe.
- We can also pickle large onions. Simply slice them and use them to make the pickles.
Recipe FAQs
No not at all. They are added for a bright pink color, but can be left out too. The resultant onions might be slightly light in color.
No certainly not. They are not canned and neither do they have any preservative. So refrigerate them once made and cooled.
Using white vinegar gives a clear brine. If using apple cider vinegar instead; it will not be a clear brine. And so the color of the onions will not shine through.
Pickled onions are great to serve as a side for Indian meals. Moreover, they are perfect to add to sandwiches, over salads or even on pizzas.
Pairings
These pickled onions are perfect to serve with so many Indian mains. Here are some of my favorites to serve with them:
More Indian Condiments
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Pickled Pearl Onions | Sirke Waale Pyaaz
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a pan add water. Place on a stove and start boiling it.
- Add the whole spices; i.e. cloves, cinnamon, black pepper and star anise.
- Next, add salt and sugar. Mix well.
- Add the peeled and chopped beetroot.
- Bring the brine to a boil.
- Remove from flame and cool. Pour it into a mason jar.
- Add the onions till the jar fills up.
- Top with vinegar. Close the lid and set in the refrigerator for a day or two. Enjoy the marinated onions.
Video
Notes
- Pick onions that look fresh and not wilted and dry. These give the best results in terms of freshness.
- As we use a mix of spices, onions and vinegar; make these in a ventilated room to avoid the rom getting smelly. Or switch on the stove fan.
- As we do not can these onions or use preservatives, refrigerate once cool. These are not shelf stable.
- Mix and match spices as you like! Use white vinegar instead of any other to get a clear brine.
- The same recipe can be extended to include carrots, beans and cauliflower too. It does not work particularly well with jalapeños as they need some cooking as in this pickled jalapeño recipe.
- We can also pickle large onions. Simply slice them and use them to make the pickles.
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