With black pepper, whisky and honey.

The other day I was scouring the Internet for more homemade food gift ideas, such as my go-to rum pot, and I came across pickled mustard seeds. Not in the sense of actual mustard as a condiment, but plump, soft mustard seeds, which actually turn out a bit like caviar in terms of texture. I had never heard of that before, so of course I had to try making a batch and put my own twist on it. Two iterations later, turns out they’re delicious and quick to make, so come give it a go!

Pickled mustard seeds recipe

Ingredients

• 50 g (1/4 cup) yellow or white mustard seeds
• 50 ml (0.2 cup) apple cider vinegar
• 20 ml (1.5 tablespoon) whisky
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• salt to taste
• water

Makes about 1 cup.

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Instructions

First, boil the mustard seeds in water for about 10 minutes or until they get plumped and soft. Drain and rinse the seeds until they no longer taste bitter (unless you like that).

Put the rinsed mustard seeds and the rest of the ingredients in a pot, bring to boil and let them simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean glass jar while still hot and close it tightly. The pickled mustard seeds should keep for at least 6 months in a pantry, but keep them in the fridge once opened. Enjoy!