Torshi Girl
In search of the perfect recipe, Linda Abbo may have discovered the Holy Grail
By Z.Z. Dawod
Thousands of Chaldean families reside in Metro Detroit, and there are likely almost as many torshi recipe variations. A pickled-vegetable staple in Middle Eastern homes, the crunchy treat livens up any meal and can even be enjoyed as a stand-alone snack.
A Family Staple
Linda Abbo, a.k.a. “Torshi Girl” is very passionate about making her unique blend of torshi. Her mom first taught her the basics when she was just a girl, helping out in the kitchen. Since then, the recipe has evolved, resulting in a unique blend that truly stands out.
The core vegetable ingredients can vary depending on what’s available or different preferences. Linda says, “Vegetables that go into the torshi is what your family prefers and likes. There’s no right or wrong way.” The staples for Linda’s family are cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, English peas, cucumbers, olives and celery.
When Linda was growing up, making torshi was a weekly routine, especially if guests were expected. Many Chaldean families kept a similar tradition. According to Linda, “Everyone has their own method, and everybody has their own unique story.”
Over the years, as different ingredients became available, the process has evolved. For instance, Linda recalls that, in the old days, people didn’t use apple cider vinegar and they didn’t use apple juice. Instead, recipes relied on sugar and water to balance the acidity.
For Linda’s mom, one common practice was to heat up the mixture on the stove, to speed up the fermenting process. This is one step that Linda has since eliminated. Leaving the jar on the counter for an extra day before refrigerating yielded the same results and greatly reduced the number of pots that had to be washed afterwards.
Down to a Science
Since those early days, Linda has experimented with the recipe extensively, streamlining it further. “I remember (as time went on) we tweaked it a little bit, to make it a lot easier, and it still comes out the same,” she reminisced.
In addition to process-related suggestions, Linda offers additional helpful tips. When adding the curry, she stresses that it is important to wear gloves because the curry contains a lot of turmeric. “It gets under your nails and stains your hands, so gloves are important,” Linda cautions.
After years of experimentation, the process eventually evolved into the recipe she uses today and shared here.
Bringing On the Heat
Most ingredients in Linda’s recipe are fairly typical, but one ingredient makes her recipe unique, and it’s directly related to her family’s history.
In the 1930s, members of Linda’s extended family migrated from Telkeppe to Ixtepec, Mexico. Their goal was to eventually reunite with family already living in Detroit but when immigration limits halted the process, lives were established in Ixtepec.
Years later, some of her Chaldean-Mexican cousins came for a visit and introduced jalapeños to the recipe. Hesitant at first, Linda confesses that the result was delicious. “It was unbelievable. With a little bit of heat, the jalapeños kicked it up a notch and took our torshi to the next level, as the blending of cultures frequently does.”
An Age-Old Process
In an effort to preserve their food, people around the globe have developed a variety of pickling techniques that date back thousands of years.
In the Middle East, vinegar has played a key role. Archaeologists have found that cucumbers may have been pickled in the Tigris Valley as far back as 2030 BCE, and the practice is believed to have first originated in ancient Mesopotamia around 2400 BCE.
People around the world share a basic need for reliable food preservation and pickling is a process that lies at the intersection of many traditions. Rooted in Mesopotamian cuisine, torshi carries a rich history among the many varieties to have evolved across cultures.
Chaldean Kitchen with Linda Abbo
Linda Abby's unique torshi recipe brings on the heat.
RECIPE
Torshi
Recipe shared by Linda Abbo
Ingredients
1 gallon mason jar (wide mouth)
1/2 head of cauliflower
1/2 head of cabbage
1 large carrot
3-5 cucumbers
1/2 cup of green olives (pitted)
1 jalapeño pepper
1 celery stalk
1 cup of sugar snap peas
3 slices of lemon
1/2 bunch of parsley
1 tablespoon of curry
1 tablespoon of salt
1 part of apple cider vinegar
2 parts of apple juice
1 pair of latex food grade gloves,
to protect against curry staining (optional)
Directions
Chop vegetables, any shape or size to your preference, place in a bowl and give a good toss. Assemble all the vegetables in the mason jar, except for the lemon and parsley. Sprinkle the salt and curry. Pour apple juice and apple cider vinegar over the assembled vegetables. Once the vinegar and juices have been added, press to compress the veggies down a bit and top off with the parsley and lemon slices. Close the lid and flip jar upside down a couple of times to give it a good mix.
A new jar of torshi should remain on the countertop for two to three days, then refrigerate. During the fermenting time on the counter, give the jar a flip or two to mix up the liquid and curry that has settled. The longer it stays out of the fridge, the softer the vegetables. It’s a matter of preference.