Pickling is an act of food preservation and also, thankfully for us, adds an entire dimension of bright angular flavors. This pickling liquid includes a touch of spice but is largely neutral, allowing the flavors of the pickled vegetables to emerge. Play around as you like. Garlic goes well, ditto allspice, cloves, and bayleaf.
½habanero pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
2thin slices ginger, about 2-3 inches long
2cupswater
Instructions
Place all the ingredients into a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat. Let cool completely, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer to a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid.
1¾ cups white wine vinegar, ¼ cup granulated white sugar, 3 tbsp + 1 tsp kosher salt, 12 sprigs fresh thyme, 4 tsp whole coriander seeds, ½ habanero pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped, 2 thin slices ginger, about 2-3 inches long, 2 cups water