Harry is a new U3A contributor from Somerset West. His writing is full of fun and interest and gives
an idea of the wide range of his experiences and interests. We hope to hear more from him soon it
makes great reading, Harry!
PICKLING ONIONS
I have a grandson, Hein. When he was five he decided to help me to "top and tail" the 10kg pocket
of pickling onions I had bought. When he arrived I was busy on the back stoep with the onions
while smoking cigarette. I provided him with a carving board and a not-so-sharp little knife and
away we went on the pocket of pickling onions. Within a few minutes his eyes were tearing. "Is dit
die uie?"** I asked him. Back came the tearfully sharp retort, "Dit is Oupa se rook!"
I
took him to the bathroom and let him rinse his face. He was back at the onions in a flash. I told him
to keep his distance from the onion cutting and asked him, "What are you going to do if your eyes
start tearing again?" "Ek was net my gesig!" he responded. Determined little big man this! Over the
years I have pickled scores of pockets of pickling onions in this fashion. An old marine engineer
from Glasgow, Scotland, gave me the success clue.
Take a bucket of seawater and in a larger plastic container, add and dissolve, ordinary salt until a
fresh egg floats. One can use a fresh clean potato instead of a fresh egg. The resultant brine
solution will be the same as butchers' use when pickling meat. Do not peel the little onions, merely
cut off the tops and bottoms and immerse the whole lot under brine for at least 36 hours and not
more than a week.
When ready, pop them out of their skins without using a knife and without washing, place them
directly into sterilised pickling bottles having added chilli, peppercorns (black or green), bay leaves
and a must ...... one whole Allspice (Pimento). Alternate spice mixture is whole coriander and
whole cloves. Do not forget one whole allspice. This alternate spice mix has a milder sensation on
the palate.
Fill the pickle bottles with either neat white or brown vinegar. The pickled onions will be ready for
qwaffing after ten days and will have a shelf life of several years. No heat, no tears?? No fuss.
Whenever I enjoy "hot" pickles, curry or English mustard I get a prickly sensation on the top of my
head!
I bought the miniature chilli, smack in the middle of the lower half of the Kruger Park. A resident
camp minder had planted out a small garden about ten metres square. The garden was
surrounded by a low dry thorn tree branch hedge and immediately within that was a very low
hedge of these dwarf chilli to keep the herbivores away. He was growing spinach, carrots and
tomatoes within the enclosure. The fresh spinach made a delightful change to our usual Kruger
fare and our chilli supply will last several more years. Some of the spinach was used as a steamed
vegetable on the evening of purchase. The next night I made "Wateruintjie"** stew with " 'n lang
sous"** using fresh spinach and lemon juice instead of sorrel and one or two cans of water lily
buds. Rice and potatoes completed the dish. Variety in the Park includes variety on the table!
The next day we saw an African Wild Cat. It was slightly larger but looked like a domestic ginger-
striped marmalade cat. We were experiencing the tail end of a severe drought that had lasted
several years and there was virtually no grass. Visibility through and under the bush was excellent.
The carnivores were having an easy time but the poor herbivores were battling to survive. This
visit to the Kruger became known to us as "The Year of the Cats". That night, back in Satara camp
at the wash-up house (or kitchen) I was chatting to a lady who was camping nearby and I
mentioned the sighting of the African Wild Cat. She casually said "I knew you would see it, I've
been feeding it through the fence for the past few nights." I hid my disappointment at this
statement. Unwittingly she had spoilt what would have been, my perfect day. I wish people will
stick to the rules and NOT feed animals in the Park. Animals will only do what nature dictates but
man seems to delight in abusing privilege. ......" All human error is etc".
** Translation of text "Is it the onions?" I asked him. Back came the tearfully
sharp retort, "It is
Granddad's smoke!" "What are you going to do if your eyes start tearing
again?". "I'll just wash my
face!" he responded.
Wateruintjie ......buds of a kind of water lily (Aponogeton Diastychon)
'n lang sous ...... plenty of gravy