Armenian-Style Pickled Green Beans (Tursha) for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make bean tursha? You'll need green string beans. The amounts here are approximate — you can use more tomatoes, for instance. Some cooks make tursha with no tomatoes at all. What matters is the method.

2. Step 2:

   

   The first step is to blanch the beans. Cook them for 5 minutes in boiling water, then drain them in a colander and let the water run off thoroughly. You can spread the beans on paper towels to dry them completely. Wash the tomatoes and hot chili pepper, trim off the stems, and cut into large pieces.

3. Step 3:

   

   Make the brine. It's best to do this ahead of time, since it needs to cool. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 quart (1 liter) of water — dissolving it in boiling water works best, then let it cool. The brine should be cold when you use it.

4. Step 4:

   

   A lot of people skip the next step, so feel free to as well. I usually pull off the tough strings and snap off the tips of the beans. Many do this with raw beans, but trust me — it's much easier once they're blanched.

5. Step 5:

   

   Now make the tomato dressing. Grind the tomatoes, hot pepper, and garlic. You don't want a smooth purée here — you want some texture, so use a meat grinder with a coarse plate or a food chopper, not a blender. Add a little salt to the dressing so it tastes good.

6. Step 6:

   

   Next, layer the beans into a pot (or whatever container is handy), alternating with the dressing — a layer of beans, then a layer of dressing. Any leftover dressing can be used like adjika (a spicy Caucasian relish).

7. Step 7:

   

   The top layer should be beans! Don't add dressing on top.

8. Step 8:

   

   Carefully pour the brine over the tursha so it fully covers the beans, keeping in mind that you'll also be weighting it down. Set an inverted plate on top and add a weight. Leave the Armenian-style tursha to ferment for five days! The fermentation time depends on how warm your kitchen is.

9. Step 9:

   

   Once it's ready, you can put the tursha up for winter. Pack it into sterilized jars and pour in the brine, which you've drained off and brought back to a boil. Seal the jars, then wrap them in a warm blanket until completely cooled.