Spicy Pickled Okra

I'm not even sure how to categorize this recipe! A condiment, a side dish? Either way it looked so interesting that I had to give it a try.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup white wine vinegar, 1 1/4 cups water, one and a half tablespoons sugar, one tablespoon salt, 1/2 tsp. white peppercorns, 1/2 tsp. whole coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp. whole fennel seeds and 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds. Bring to a boil, then cook one minute stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and add two sprigs of fresh dill, one jalapeno pepper, sliced in half (red or green, your choice), and 3/4 lb. whole fresh okra pods. Cool completely to room temperature, then pour into an airtight container, cover and chill. They'll keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Here are a few serving suggestions:
- use anywhere you'd normally put pickles - on sandwiches, chopped up in potato salad etc.
- eat whole as a side dish
- make a part of an antipasti plate alongside artichoke hearts, olives etc.

Either way, 1/4 cup of okra pods is only 30 calories.

Cost: (it looks high because of all the spices, but those will hang around in my spice cabinet and come in use in many future recipes...)
white peppercorn $5.99
coriander seeds $1.95
cumin seeds $3.99
fresh dill $1.99
okra $2.55

A note of caution that applies to all recipes - check your pantry before you shop! The original recipe called for one and a quarter cups white wine vinegar, and I just assumed I had enough. When I found myself 1/4 cup short, I switched the ratio, ergo 1 cup vinegar to 1 1/4 cups water instead of 1 1/4 cups vinegar to 1 cup water. I hope this didn't overly affect the pickling process. I also assumed I had enough salt, but only came up with about 3/4 tablespoon left in my shaker. Oops! Lesson learned.