Seed Oil Free Chow Chow Relish
Chow chow relish is one of those old-school condiments that deserves a serious comeback, and this version is bright, tangy, and just a little sweet from real honey. Cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and onion get salted and squeezed dry before simmering in apple cider vinegar with turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon — the result is a glossy, deeply flavored relish that clings to whatever you pile it on. Most store-bought relishes and condiments sneak in refined vegetable or seed oils as a preservative or texture aid, so making your own from scratch is the cleanest way to know exactly what's in the jar. The squeeze-and-simmer method here is what makes it work: drawing out excess moisture first means the vinegar glaze reduces into something almost syrupy rather than watery. It's genuinely versatile — spoon it over grilled meats, stir it into grain bowls, or use it anywhere you'd reach for a pickle. A couple of hours in the fridge lets the spices bloom and the flavors settle into something that tastes like it's been in someone's pantry for years, in the best possible way.
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Learn more →Ingredients
16 servings
- 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup carrot, finely grated
- 1 cup zucchini, finely diced
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
For finishing
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Combine the shredded cabbage, grated carrot, diced zucchini, and diced onion in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon fine sea salt and toss well to coat. Let the vegetables sit for 1 hour at room temperature until they have released a significant amount of liquid and softened noticeably.
- 2
Transfer the salted vegetables to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze firmly over the sink until as much liquid as possible has been expelled — the vegetables should feel dry and compact.
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