Mixed Vegetable Toursi (Scalable Fridge Pickle)

A vinegar-brine pickle for cucumber, cabbage, turnip, peppers, broccoli stems — any firm garden veg, in any combination. No canning, no fermentation starter. Scale up infinitely by jar count.

The Ratio (memorize this, forget the rest)

Per 1 quart jar of packed vegetables:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
• 2-3 smashed garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of chili flakes (optional)

Multiply straight across by however many jars you’re filling. This brine ratio (2 parts water : 1 part vinegar : 1.5 tbsp salt per quart) holds whether you’re doing 1 jar or 20.

Quick multiplier table

Ingredients

• Firm garden vegetables — cucumber, cabbage, turnip, peppers, broccoli stems, or any combination
• Water
• White vinegar (5% acidity)
• Kosher salt
• Garlic cloves, smashed
• Black peppercorns
• Bay leaf
• Chili flakes (optional)

See The Ratio above for exact per-jar quantities.

Directions

1. Cut vegetables into roughly uniform pieces — spears, sticks, or chunks around 1-2 inches. Softer/soggier cucumbers are fine here; they lose crunch either way, so use them first.
2. Pack jars tightly with the vegetable mix, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, and chili flakes.
3. Boil the brine — water, vinegar, and salt — just until the salt dissolves.
4. Pour hot brine over the packed vegetables, fully submerging everything. Leave about 1/2 inch headspace.
5. Cool uncovered on the counter for 30 minutes, then seal and refrigerate.
6. Wait: tastes good starting day 3, best around day 5-7.
7. Keeps refrigerated for 3-4 weeks.

Notes

• Don’t try to brine an entire harvest in one go — batch it across several jars over a few days so you’re not overwhelmed and can eat through jars on a rolling basis.
• Firmer vegetables (turnip, broccoli stems) can go in the same jar as softer ones (cucumber, cabbage) — they’ll just pickle at slightly different rates, which is fine.
• Adjust salt/vinegar ratio slightly to taste after your first batch — this is a starting point, not gospel.

Fresh Herb Addition (from the garden)

Toursi is traditionally pretty herb-light, but a few sprigs added straight into the jar work well alongside the garlic and bay leaf.

Per 1 quart jar, add any/all of:

• 2-3 sprigs fresh oregano
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• A few slices of fresh onion (adds sweetness and a slight bite as it pickles)

This is the classic Greek-leaning direction — oregano and thyme are the traditional pairing here, and onion slides in easily alongside the cabbage and turnip.

Skip basil, Thai basil, lemongrass, chives, and green onion in this one — their flavors don’t hold up well in a hot vinegar brine over days of pickling (basil in particular turns bitter and dark). Save those for the cold soup or as fresh garnish on the finished pickle just before serving instead.