Dry salted pickled cucumbers
Practical Action
Processing
Place the cucumbers and salt in alternating layers in a suitable fermentation bucket. A large
food-grade plastic bucket with a lid is ideal. The proportions of salt to cucumbers are 1 kg of salt
to every 20kg of small cucumbers or 15kg of large cucumbers. Close the bucket. Add a heavy
weight such as a clean plate to the top of the cucumbers to weight them down and aid the
formation of the brine. Place the bucket in a warm place (20°C) to allow the brine to form by
osmosis (water is drawn out of the cucumber and mixes with the salt to make a brine). This takes
about 24 hours depending on the temperature. If the brine formed by osmosis does not cover
the cucumbers, add additional brine (made to a strength of 40o Salometer) up to the required
level. One or two days after the brine has formed, stir the mixture to equalise the concentration
of salt throughout the mass.
As soon as the brine is formed, fermentation starts and bubbles of carbon dioxide appear.
Fermentation takes between one and four weeks depending on the ambient temperature.
Fermentation is complete when no more bubbles appear.
During fermentation the brine becomes cloudy for the first few days due to the growth of
bacteria. Later if the brine is not covered, a filmy yeast growth will often occur on the surface.
Flow diagram
Process
Quality assurance
Selection
Wash
Mix with salt
Ferment
Package
Only ripe cucumbers should be selected
In clean water
1kg salt for 15-20kg of cucumbers
For between one and four weeks at 21°C
Packaging and storage
Pack the pickle into clean glass or plastic jars that are sterilised prior to filling. Cucumber
pickle keeps well if stored in a cool place. Due to the high acid level of the final product, the
risk of food poisoning is low. With khalpi in Nepal, oil is added to the surface of the pickle to
prevent spoilage and further fermentation.
Equipment required
Fermentation bucket – plastic bucket with lid
Thermometer
Weighing scales
Salometer (optional)
Equipment suppliers
Note: This is a selective list of suppliers and does not imply endorsement by Practical Action
Cutting and slicing equipment
A range of manual and powered cutting and slicing machinery is available.
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