Important Notes to Consider When Making Middle Eastern Pickles (Kabees)!

• Wash the vegetables thoroughly. Washing vegetables under running water is an essential step when making pickles.

• Choose the right salt. Use pickling salt or sea salt, and avoid table salt. Table salt often contains anti-caking agents and other additives that may not dissolve completely in the pickle brine, potentially making the liquid cloudy.

• Choose fresh, firm vegetables. Select vegetables that are free from blemishes or discoloration. For cucumbers, choose green, slender varieties—preferably Lebanese or Persian cucumbers. Avoid large cucumbers, as they are less likely to stay crunchy.

• Prepare the cucumbers properly. Cut off the blossom end of each cucumber before pickling. The blossom end may contain an enzyme that contributes to excessive softening. Then, using a knife, make two small incisions in each cucumber to allow the brine to penetrate more effectively.

• Pack the vegetables tightly. Pack each type of vegetable snugly into sterilized jars, leaving about ½ inch of headspace.

• Pay special attention to the salt. Salt is one of the most critical ingredients in Middle Eastern pickling. The amount needs to be properly balanced—you want pickles that are flavorful and pleasantly salty, not overwhelmingly salty or bland.

• Keep your hands clean. Your hands can carry a variety of bacteria, so wash them thoroughly with soap, scrub well, and rinse carefully before handling and packing the vegetables. Alternatively, you can use disposable gloves to minimize contamination and reduce the risk of spoilage.

• Add flavorful aromatics. For extra flavor, add garlic, coriander seeds, and diced green chili peppers. For cauliflower pickles, I especially love adding turmeric—the flavors complement each other beautifully.

• No canning machine is required. Traditional Lebanese/Middle Eastern pickles (kabees) do not require a pressure canner or canning machine. However, jars and utensils should be thoroughly sterilized with boiling water and allowed to air-dry completely before use.

• Keep the vegetables submerged. Make sure the vegetables remain completely covered by the brine. A properly prepared salt brine helps inhibit the growth of many undesirable microorganisms.

• Try grape leaves for extra crunch. This is optional, but you can place fresh grape leaves over the pickles. Grape leaves contain tannins, which may help preserve the firmness of vegetables by slowing the breakdown of their cell walls.

  Or, guess what? You can also add a few pieces of dried chickpeas to each jar! This is my mom’s tip. Does it sound weird? Believe me, it works like magic! Chickpeas also contain tannins, which may provide a similar effect to grape leaves.

• Store opened pickles properly. Once you open a jar of pickles, keep it tightly sealed and refrigerated. Properly stored pickles can last for an extended period in the refrigerator, but always check for any signs of spoilage before eating. If you notice an unusual odor, mold, bubbling, or other unexpected changes, discard the pickles.

Why Can Mold Appear on the Surface of Your Pickle Jars?

Mold can sometimes appear on the surface of pickles when they are exposed to air, when the salt ratio is incorrect, when the vegetables or utensils are not clean, or when unsuitable water is used. This should not happen if you follow the pickling instructions carefully. However, if you notice mold on the pickles or floating in the brine, it is a sign that the pickles have spoiled and should not be consumed.

The Egg Method for Measuring the Right Salt-to-Water Ratio in Pickling

Too much salt in pickles can ruin their flavor, while too little salt can result in bland pickles and may allow them to spoil more quickly. Salt is therefore a key ingredient in making Lebanese and Middle Eastern pickles, known as Kabees. Other ingredients, such as vinegar, sugar, herbs, and spices, mainly enhance the flavor.

An old method traditionally used to estimate the right level of saltiness is the egg method. Even when following a precise recipe, I like to use this method because different brands and types of salt can vary in density and saltiness by volume.

Here is how the egg method works:

A Simple Science Test

What happens when you place a fresh egg in a glass of plain water? The egg will sink to the bottom.

But can you make the same egg float in that glass of water? Yes! By adding enough salt to the water, you increase the water’s density, allowing the egg to rise.

The same principle can be used when preparing pickling brine. Add salt to the water until the egg rises so that the upper part of the egg becomes visible above the surface. You should not expect the entire egg to float.

Traditionally, this is used as an indication that the brine has reached the desired salt concentration for making Kabees. If the egg remains completely submerged, more salt is needed.

Important: The egg method is an old traditional technique rather than a precise measurement. For food safety, especially with fermented or preserved vegetables, a tested recipe with a specified salt concentration is more reliable than using the egg alone.

How I Tested the Salt-to-Water Ratio

Use a raw egg at room temperature.

I added one glass (1 cup) of water to a container, then added one tablespoon of salt and stirred until the salt was completely dissolved. I then gently placed the raw egg into the salt water.

What Happened to the Egg?

Take a moment to observe the egg on the left. It floated, meaning that the upper edge of the egg was visible above the surface of the water. This indicates that the salt solution has reached the right concentration for pickling.

However, if the egg sinks to the bottom, like the egg on the right, more salt is needed.

Using this method allows you to adjust the salt-to-water ratio regardless of the brand of salt you are using. It’s a simple way to determine the right ratio of salt to water.

So, based on my calculation, 1 cup of water needs 1 tablespoon of salt. Therefore, 2 liters of water (about 8 cups) need 8 tablespoons of salt.

You’ll need:

• Lebanese or Persian cucumbers

• Carrots

• Cauliflower

• Cabbage

• Pickling salt

• White vinegar

• Garlic

• Coriander seeds

• Black or green peppercorns

• Bay leaves

• 4 sterilized 1-liter jars

And now, let’s get started!

Gather your ingredients and jars.

To make the brine, place the water and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the sugar and vinegar, and stir well. Leave the brine to cool to room temperature.

Remove the stems and blossom ends from the cucumbers. Peel the carrots and cut them to your desired size, or leave them whole if they’re small enough. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Cut the cabbage into large chunks. Wash all the vegetables thoroughly and drain well.

At the bottom of each of the four sterilized jars, place 3 smashed garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon of green peppercorns, black peppercorns, or coriander seeds. You may also add 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder to the cauliflower jar.

Add a handful of chopped green chilis to each jar. (I like the slightly aggressive flavor of hot, zingy pickles.) This is optional.

Pack each type of vegetable tightly into sterilized jars, leaving about ½ inch of headspace.

This step is optional but recommended. Cover the vegetables in each jar with a few grape leaves, or alternatively, add four dried chickpeas to each jar.

Pour the brine equally into the four jars, making sure the vegetables are fully submerged. Seal the jars tightly, then turn them upside down for 1 hour.

Lebanese pickles take anywhere from one to two weeks to make, depending on the vegetables you use, but the preparation itself takes only about 30 minutes. As they sit, they undergo a natural fermentation process that transforms them into pickles.

Unopened jars can be stored at room temperature in a pantry or cabinet, away from direct sunlight, for 10 months to up to one year. Once you open a jar, refrigerate it; it will keep for up to one year in the fridge. To ensure the pickles stay fresh and don’t spoil, make sure to seal the jar tightly after each use.

Lebanese pickles (kabees) enhance the flavor of almost all Lebanese stews and dishes. Here are some great recipes that pair perfectly with our pickles:

• Chicken Shawarma
• Mujadara Hamra
• Mujadara makhboussa
• Bulgur Mujadara
• Baba Ghanouj
• Foul Medames: 
• Potato Kibbeh
• Vegan Lebanese Lima Bean Stew
• Lebanese Cauliflower Stew
• Chicken Bulgur Pilaf
• Eggs and Meat
• Dawood Basha
• Pumpkin Kibbeh
• Arayes
• Tomato Bulgur Pilaf
• Manakeesh
• Mashed Potatoes and Hard-boiled Eggs
• Baked vegetarian Omlette
• My Mom’s Maghmour
• Stewed Zucchini in Tomatoes
• Grilled Kafta Kebabs

Lebanese Pickles/ Kabees

5 from 1 vote

Prep: 30 minutes minutes

10 days days

Servings 4 jars, each 1 liter

Course

Appetizer

Cuisine

#Middle Eastern

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International

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Lebanese

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Mediterranean

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Description

Use this simple recipe to start making your own delicious, crunchy pickles at home and fill your pantry with homemade goodness. The same versatile pickling solution can also be used to preserve a variety of vegetables, giving you flavorful, high-quality pickles every time.

All you need are a few essential ingredients, a little patience, and some time. Follow along with the video tutorial below to see how easy it is to get started.

Equipment

• sterelized jars

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 700 grams / 1.5 lbs cucumbers
• ▢ 700 grams / 1.5 lbs carrots peeled
• ▢ 700 grams / 1.5 lbs cauliflower cut into florets
• ▢ 500 grams / 1 lb 2 oz cabbage
• ▢ 10 green serrano or jalapeño chiles or to taste, roughly chopped
• ▢ 12 garlic cloves smashed
• ▢ 4 tablespoons black or green peppercorns
• ▢ 4 tablespoons coriander seeds
• ▢ 2 liters hot water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ 1 cup white vinegar
• ▢ 8 tablespoons pickling salt or sea salt
• ▢ 6 bay leaves
• ▢ 16 fresh grape leaves or a handful of dried chickpeas (not canned)

Instructions

 

• Before we get started, please read all the important notes above.”
• Sterilize the implements and jars with boiling water, then air-dry them before use.
• Gather your ingredients and jars.

  To make the brine, place the water and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the sugar and vinegar, and stir well. Leave the brine to cool to room temperature.
• Remove the stems and blossom ends from the cucumbers. Peel the carrots and cut them to your desired size, or leave them whole if they’re small enough. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Cut the cabbage into large chunks. Wash all the vegetables thoroughly and drain well.
• You can add a handful of chopped green chilies (or to your liking), along with 1 teaspoon of green peppercorns, black peppercorns, or coriander seeds. You may also add a tablespoon of turmeric powder to the cauliflower jar.
• At the bottom of each of the four sterilized jars, place 3 smashed garlic cloves and 2 bay leaves.
  
• You can add a handful of chopped green chilis (or to your liking), along with 1 teaspoon of green peppercorns, black peppercorns, or coriander seeds. You may also add 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder to the cauliflower jar.
  
• Pack each type of vegetable tightly into sterilized jars, leaving about ½ inch of headspace.
• Cover the veggies in each jar with a few grape leaves. Alternatively, you can add a few pieces of dried chickpeas to each jar (this is my mom’s tip). Does that sound weird? Believe me, it works like magic! It helps keep the veggies nice and crunchy.
  
• Pour the brine evenly among the four jars, making sure the vegetables are fully submerged. Cover the jars tightly.
  
• Turn them upside down for 1 hour, then return them to their normal position.
  
• Let them sit in a dark place for ten to fourteen days.
  

Video

Notes

Storage: Unopened jars of pickles can be kept at room temperature in a pantry or cabinet, away from direct sunlight, for 10 months or up to 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate the jar immediately. To keep the pickles fresh and prevent spoilage, seal the jar tightly after each use and store it in the refrigerator.

Keyword kabees,, Lebanese pickles, Middle Eastern pickles

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