Chow-Chow

The spicy homemade pickle relish popular in Southern Cooking is called chow-chow, which is sometimes prepared using corn, okra, cabbage, hot peppers, green tomatoes, and other vegetable selections. While chow-chow is often used as a condiment, it has also found a place as a side dish and a topping. Chow-chow is excellent with pinto beans, collards and black eyed peas, and biscuits and gravy. 

Ingredients:

2 quarts shredded cabbage (about one medium head)
1/2 cup sweet onions (finely chopped)
1/2 cup chopped green or red bell peppers (optional)
2 tablespoons of salt

2 cups vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons celery seeds
2 teaspoons mustard seeds

Instructions

1) Mix the chopped vegetables, sprinkling in the salt.

2) Let the ingredients stand for about 4 to 6 hours in the refrigerator. Drain well.

3) Add the vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, turmeric, ground ginger, celery seeds, and mustard seeds to a pot. Simmer for ten minutes.

4) Set aside a large pot to accommodate both the vegetables and mix.

5) Add the vegetables to the mixture and let simmer for another ten minutes. Bring to a boil.

6) Next, pack the mixture (boiling hot) into heated canning jars, leaving only a 1/8-inch head space.

7) Place canning lids and rings on the jars. Tighten.