Quick & Easy: Lime-Pickled Onions

It’s the transformation that gets me. The beautiful change of colour in the purple onions to almost magenta.

It’s the acid in the fresh limes that result in this. That creates this thing of beauty.

The bite of the onion is tempered, and the texture is slightly softened. The acid in the lime juice sets the colour and creates this vibrant pickle in a matter of minutes

We know the effect of citric acid on fruit and vegetables – think of how acidulated water slows down browning in bananas and artichokes and most other fruits. It maintains and sets the colour and brightens it.

Great in salads – both fresh and cooked, On wraps, as a garnish, as a condiment/side. As…….

And all it requires is three ingredients – onions, salt and lime juice. Freshly squeezed.

Red onions are our go-to-onions in Nigeria. Purple onions should I say, the colour the richest hue of any purple cabbage, and very much ‘in-season’ in these times.

Pickling the onions is easy – all it requires is slicing the onions, adding a sprinkle of salt and the juice of freshly cut limes.

And then a gentle massage, before they the onion slices are ladled into a jar.

And left to transform.

In anywhere from minutes to hours, the colours change. A magenta hue begins to emerge – the effect of the acid. Perhaps something to do with the lime changing the pH values in the onions.

The result is as beautiful as it is delicious.

The lime and salt soften the bite, the harsh bit of onions such that you can chomp on them raw (they don’t take away the witch breath though).

You can have them garnish platters of rice and take rank with other condiments.

You can toss them on pizza.

Wrap them in warm, soft wheat tortillas

You can keep them in the fridge, purely to admire science at work.

You can do many things with them.

Your lime-pickled onions. Your choice.

To help you along, I’ve made a short video, with background music from one of my favourite Nigerian musicians – Yemi Saxs.

[vimeo 88579391 w=500 h=375]

Lime-Pickled Onions from Ozoz Sokoh on Vimeo.

Enjoy.[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Quick & Easy: Lime-Pickled Onions – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]