Lime, Pickling

Pickling lime, also known as slaked lime, is food grade calcium hydroxide, sold without additives or preservatives. It has long been used (diluted with large amounts of water) as a preliminary treatment for vegetables, to make them greener and crisper. In Iran, for instance, all hard vegetables (such as zucchini, cucumber and pumpkin) are soaked in a pickling lime solution before frying or pickling. Pickling lime is sold as a paste called “White Magic” at Vietnamese and Korean groceries. It is also available through the Internet at http://www.mrswages.com/index.htm. Follow the package instructions for making soaking solutions.