Soy Free Chow Chow Relish
Chow chow relish is one of those old-school condiments that makes everything it touches taste better — hot dogs, grilled chicken, a humble bowl of beans, you name it. This version is built on a bright, tangy base of apple cider vinegar and honey, with cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and onion all simmered down into a glossy, syrupy relish that's deeply savory with just a hint of warmth from turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon. Store-bought relishes and condiments are notorious for sneaking in soy-derived ingredients like soy sauce, modified soy protein, or soybean oil, so making your own from scratch is genuinely the safest and most satisfying route. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, which means you can jar this up with total confidence. The salting-and-squeezing step is the secret weapon — it draws out excess moisture so the vegetables absorb that spiced vinegar glaze instead of just swimming in it. The result is a relish with real body and complexity, not a watery afterthought. Make a batch on the weekend and you'll be reaching for it all week long.
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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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