Torshi lift

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 1 kgturnips, peeled and cut in thick wedges
• 1raw beetroot, peeled and sliced
• 6 clovesgarlic, peeled

Pickle

• 700 mlwater
• 300 mlwhite vinegar
• 60 gcoarse non-iodised salt
• 1 tbspsugar
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 2bay leaves
• 1dried chilli, optional

Directions

1. Cut the turnips into wedges of an even size so they pickle at the same rate. Thick wedges stay crisp; thin slices go soft within days.
2. Slice the beetroot thin. It is there for colour — it bleeds into the brine within a day and turns the whole jar the deep pink that torshi lift is recognised by.
3. Bring the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay and chilli to a boil, stirring until the salt dissolves, then cool it completely. Hot pickle poured over turnip cooks it soft.
4. Pack the turnip wedges, beetroot slices and garlic into clean jars, layering the beetroot through rather than putting it all at the bottom.
5. Pour over the cold pickle so everything is submerged, and weight anything that floats.
6. Seal and leave at room temperature for a week, by which time the turnips will have coloured through and lost their raw bite.
7. Move to the fridge, where they keep two months and go on softening slowly.
8. Serve alongside couscous, in sandwiches, or with grilled meat.

Technique

• Cool the pickle before pouring. The single most common mistake and the one that shows.
• A week is the minimum. At three days it still tastes raw and sharply of vinegar.
• Wear gloves for the beetroot unless you want pink hands for a day.

Substitutions

• Cider vinegar for white, which is rounder.
• Carrot or cauliflower in the same jar, which is common.
• Skip the sugar for a sharper pickle.

Variations

• The Lebanese kabees and Jordanian mkhallal are the same pickle under other names.
• A salt-brine version without vinegar takes three weeks and is sourer.

History

A standing item on the Libyan table, made at home in large jars and eaten to cut the richness of stews.

Frequently asked questions

What is Torshi lift?

Torshi lift is a fermented & pickled from Libya: turnips pickled with vinegar and beetroot, served alongside couscous and sandwiches. A standing item on the Libyan table, made at home in large jars and eaten to cut the richness of stews.

How long does Torshi lift take to make?

Torshi lift takes 30 min plus 1 week of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes fills 2 × 1-litre jars. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Torshi lift?

Yes, within limits. Cider vinegar for white, which is rounder. Carrot or cauliflower in the same jar, which is common. Skip the sugar for a sharper pickle.

What is the most important thing to get right in Torshi lift?

Slice the beetroot thin. It is there for colour — it bleeds into the brine within a day and turns the whole jar the deep pink that torshi lift is recognised by.