Pickled Vegetables

Because spoilage is an omnipresent concern in the region’s warm climate, pickling has been a common way to preserve fresh produce for centuries throughout the Middle East. Beets, small Persian cucumbers, and turnips are among the most common, but just about anything and everything that grows is pickled.

Kitchens typically have a jar of pickling solution at the ready, and any bits of vegetable leftovers go into the jar to become a piquant accent for another meal.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that pickles are a ubiquitous presence at most meals, especially with grilled meats or anything that is rich and fatty, like meze. Middle Easterners add pickles to sandwiches as others use lettuce and tomato, to add a bit of freshness and tang.