Pimenta Malagueta em ConservaPickled Chilies

Vinegar-Preserved Bird's-Eye Chilies for the Table Jar.

• 1 jar
• Prep 10 mins
• Cook 5 mins
• Nacional

Every boteco and half the country's home tables keep a jar of these — whole malagueta chilies faded to pale gold in vinegar, hotter with every week. A spoonful of the brine is as prized as the pepper itself, splashed over feijoada or rice.

Ingredients

• •50 g malagueta chilies (bird's-eye), washed and stemmed
• •250 ml white vinegar
• •125 ml water
• •1 tbsp coarse sea salt
• •2 cloves garlic, smashed
• •1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• •1 bay leaf

Method

1. Pierce the chiliesPrick each chili once with a needle or the tip of a knife so the brine penetrates — this also keeps them from floating.
2. Pack the jarPack the chilies, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf into a clean 350 ml glass jar.
3. Make the brineBring the vinegar, water, and salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve, then pour over the chilies to cover completely.
4. Seal and waitSeal while hot, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate. They are ready in 3 days and improve for months.

Questions