My mother used to make this for Christmas and she kept it in a ceramic pot. Then she would put a plate over it and wear it down with the pounder stone.
We were warned not to touch it or put wet spoons into it until it was ready to be eaten. I used to watch my mother salt the vegetables ( to release the liquid and absorb the salt) and then balance the tray of salted vegetables on two gala poles because the morning and afternoon sun was behind at the kitchen when we stayed ten storeys up in Toa Payoh. It is a fussy pickle to make and can take a day or two. If made properly, it needs no refrigeration. This is the way that my mother made it and I still do it the same way too.
1 cucumber, cut into half, scoop out the seeds in the middle. Cut off the ends. slice the cucumber into pieces
1 carrot, skin the carrot, cut into rounds or one inch sticks
1 bowl of cauliflower, cut the florets into smaller pieces
1 bowl of cabbage leaves, cut into one inch squares
Put these vegetables into a tray. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and toss it to mix. Place in a dry place. Every hour, give it a toss. Keep vegetables in salt for at least 6 hours.
Then rinse the vegetables of the excess salt. Place them on a clean tea towel and dry them. Leave them in a dry warm place for a bit. (you can place another clean towel over the vegetables and attempt to squeeze any liquid out of them).
8 small shallots, peel skin, use whole
6 garlic, peel skin, use whole
2 red chillies and 2 green chillies, slit down the middle
First pickling liquid
450 ml apple cider vinegar (Heinz)
450 ml water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Bring to the boil. Blanch the shallots, garlic, red and green chilli in this pickling liquid for 2 minutes. Scoop them out. Set aside.
Turn the heat off. Put the vegetables into this pickling liquid. Leave for one minute. Scoop them out. Set aside. Discard this first liquid.
Drain the vegetables of any excess liquid and let it cool down. Place them in a stoneware pot or large glass jars.
Second pickling liquid
10 fluid ounces water
10 fluid ounces Heinz vinegar
8 ounces sugar
2 teaspoon salt
half teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon mustard seed, cracked
one inch fresh ginger, finely sliced or julienned
Put all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to the boil stirring. Take off heat and let it cool down. Pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables. Seal and keep for a week covered. Then place the picked vegetables and liquid in jars.
Note: If your vegetables are not salted to remove the juices and blanched to cook them , fermentation may occur in the jar which looks like bubbles. When the lid is released, the bubbles just overflow out (like shaking a bottle of fizzy drink).
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