Khiar Shoor – Persian pickled cucumber

Khiar shoor is a popular Persian side dish that can be served with many different foods. It’s an amazing addition to sandwiches and is especially used in Salad Olivieh (Olivier salad) and Macaroni salad for enriching the taste.

Making Persian pickles is pretty simple and doesn’t require much time. However, there are some key steps to avoid molding or crushing, which I’ve mentioned in this post.

As you know, Iranians love sour and salty side dishes, and that’s why they have different types of Persian torshi (pickles) and salty pickles in their culture. The main ingredients of cucumber pickles are cucumbers and salt. We also use some vinegar to quicken the pickling process.

You don’t need to cook the cucumbers since they pickle for 7-10 days before they’re ready to be served. This is the best pickled cucumber recipe because you won’t cook the cucumbers and let them gradually absorb the vinegar and salt. Adding the deep taste and aroma of garlic, the result is amazing.

How to make Khiar shoor?

The best recipe for making Persian pickled cucumber is as follows:

1- Preparation

Wash the cucumbers and garlic. Let them dry.

Clean up the aromatic herbs and wash them. Let them dry as well.

Wash the jar you’ve chosen to store your pickles in. Thoroughly dry it with a kitchen towel.

If any of the ingredients have the smallest amount of moisture, your pickles will mold and get mushy.

2- prepare the salt-water-vinegar mixture

Pour water into a suitable pot and put it on the stove. Add salt and vinegar. Stir so that the salt gets solved.

Let the water boil, then turn the heat off. The goal is to let the water reach its boiling point. Then, let the water cool down.

3- Arrange the cucumbers in the jar

Arrange the cucumbers in the jar in an organized manner. Put garlic, herbs, and pepper in between the cucumbers.

4- Pour the water-vinegar combination on the cucumbers

Once the liquid mixture is cooled down, pour it on the cucumbers in the jar. The water should completely cover the cucumbers, so if it’s not enough, make some salt water and add to it.

Close the lid tightly. If the pickles are in contact with air, they mold and become mushy.

Store the jar in a cold, dark place like Kitchen cabinet. After 7-10 days, the pickles are ready to serve!

Tips:

• Boiling the water prevents the cucumber pickled from molding.
• After opening the lid of the jar, store it in the fridge.
• If you have a lot of garlic in the house, make Torshi sir (pickled garlic) which is one of the most famous Persian pickles in the world.
• You can add some peas to the pickle jar to make them crunchier.
• Small cucumbers are the best choice for Khiar shoor.
• You can use water or boiled water. I use boiling water because prevents salty cucumber pickles from getting moldy.

What kind of cucumber is more suitable for Khiar shoor?

It’s best to use bush pickles. Regular cucumbers or greenhouse cucumbers are not recommended. Greenhouse cucumbers usually have shiny skin.

Size-wise, Persian cucumbers which are small and thin are good options. Thicker cucumbers take more time to pickle and the final result isn’t that tasty.

Khiar shoor is served with which foods?

Iranians eat this delicious side dish with:

• Kotlet
• Falafel
• Fast food and Sandwiches
• Olivier salad
• Noodle salad
• Macaroni salad

Quick pickled Persian cucumber in one day

To make one-day pickled cucumber, follow these steps:

Once the salt-water-vinegar mixture comes to the boiling point, pour the cucumbers into the pot and let them boil for a few minutes.

This helps the cucumbers to quickly absorb the liquids. Turn the heat off. Make sure they don’t become too soft. Your pickled cucumbers are ready to use after 1 day.

How to prevent the pickled cucumbers from rotting?

Sometimes, the cucumbers rot from the inside.

Boiling the water is to avoid this. However, the possibility of rotting depends on the type of cucumber you choose as well. Greenhouse cucumbers are not suitable for pickling and will rot from within.

You should make sure that no air can enter the pickle jar. If the pickles make contact with air, they will definitely mold. This is why you should cover the opening of the jar with a piece of plastic under the tightly shut lid.

What container is good for Khiar shoor?

Glass and plastic containers with narrow openings are the most common for khiar shoor.

I have made salty cucumber pickles in a 1.5-liter soda bottle and the final result was actually fantastic. You can place the bottle upside down to prevent air from seeping into the bottle.

In this method, the cucumbers should be very slim for them to fit into the bottle. After the pickling process is over, you have to rip the bottle open and take the pickles out.

Pickled cucumbers for long-term storage

Khiar shoor need 7 days of storage in a cold and dark place to be prepared. When you open the lid, you should keep it in the fridge. You can store the cucumber pickles in the fridge for one month.

Conclusion:

Khiar shoor is a popular side dish. I have written the best unique pickled cucumber recipe in this post.

If you see that the pickles are crushed, they’re rotten. I’ve attached a picture of what a healthy cucumber pickle should look like.

Cucumber is also one of the main ingredients in torshi makhloot and hafte bijar torshi. If you have carrots, cauliflowers, and eggplants at home, I strongly suggest making a torshi as well.

In the end, I would like to say that I’d be glad to see your comments on this post.