Do you like a spicy kick and crunch when you eat? How about pickled vegetables? If you do, Haitian pikliz (sounds like Pick Leez) might be something you want to try. It is a staple in Haitian households and every household has their own recipe and method. You'll find some with chunky to shredded vegetables as well as different variations of heat. It is often used to add to layers of flavors of other Haitian sauces and dishes like when you marinate meat or in Sos Ti Malis - a tomato paste-based sauce staple.
This is how I make it in our household which will offer you some shortcuts to consider as I'm always looking for a way to save time while making homemade food. I'll also talk about substitutions to consider for scotch bonnet peppers, the popular hot pepper used in many Carribean dishes but is often not readily available at local grocery stores. But first the recipe.
Liz
Ingredients
4-6 Scotch Bonnet Peppers
1 Bag of Shredded Coleslaw Mix
1/2 Red Onion - Thinly Sliced
1/2 White Onion - Thinly Sliced
1/2 Red Pepper - Thinly Sliced
1/2 Yellow Pepper - Thinly Sliced
1/2 Green Pepper - Thinly Sliced
1/4 Cup of Frozen Green Peas
8 Whole Cloves
1 Teaspoon of Salt
10-12 Peppercorns
3-4 Cups of Vinegar
Kitchen Equipment Needed
1. Mason Jar
Recipe
1. Cut your scotch bonnet peppers into 4 pieces. Take half of your peppers with their seeds and add to the jar.
2. Add half your peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 4 cloves into the jar with 1/2 cup of vinegar.
3. Add your coleslaw mix, onions, bell peppers, and peas into the jar.
4. Top with the remaining scotch bonnet peppers, peppercorns, salt and cloves.
5. Add your remaining vinegar, close the jar, give it a good shake, and refrigerate for 48 hours before using.
Scotch Bonnet Pepper Substitutes
When I first made this I could not easily find scotch bonnet peppers. So I spent time being the nerd I am and researched what are some peppers that might be suitable substitutes for the flavor of the scotch bonnet.
First, understanding the key two things that make the scotch bonnet great is important. Its flavor and where it falls on the heat scale. This will help you figure out how to substitute for its flavor.
- On the Scoville scale: Median SHU of 225,000
- Flavor: Fruity, Sweet, Tropical, and Earthy
As you can see in the picture below from Pepperscale.come, the closest & easiest substitute is the Habanero pepper. You'll lack the earthy flavor that is replaced with the Habanero's smoky flavor.
Because of its similarities - the Habanero is my top choice and you can counter it's smoky flavor by easily adding more bell peppers for their sweet flavor. If you don't mind the slightest additional heat, you can also add Poblano peppers to get the earthiness that is missing.
If Habaneros are also hard to come by then you can use a mixed variety of peppers to try to match the Scotch Bonnet. Here is one potential mix to substitute for one Scotch Bonnet:
- 2 Thai Peppers for their heat and sweet flavor
- 1 Cayenne Pepper for its heat but neutral flavor
- 2 Serrano Peppers for their heat and bright flavor
- 2 Poblano Pepper for its earthy flavor
- 1/4 Bell Pepper for its sweet flavor
This particular mixed variety has an average of 225,500 SHU as well as sweet, earthy, fruity flavors. Although you're missing hints of tropical flavor, the Serrano's add a grassy bright flavor.
Keep in mind you'll need to multiply your mixed pepper blend by how many scotch bonnet peppers you'd prefer to use for your pikliz.
