![Encurtidos](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Encurtidos.jpg)
Encurtido is a
pickled
Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavor. The resulting food is called ...
appetizer, side dish and condiment in the
Mesoamerican region
The Mesoamerican region (often abbreviated MAR) is a trans-national economic region in the Americas that is recognized by the OECD and other economic and developmental organizations, comprising the united economies of the seven countries in Centr ...
.
It consists of various vegetables, such as onion, peppers such as
jalapeño
The jalapeño ( , , ) is a medium-sized chili pepper pod type cultivar of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. A mature jalapeño chili is long and hangs down with a round, firm, smooth flesh of wide. It can have a range of pungency, with Scovi ...
, carrot and beets, among others, pickled in vinegar brine and typically prepared so the vegetables remain crunchy and firm to the bite.
When used as a condiment, it is added to many various dishes to add flavor.
It is typically served cold.
Encurtido is a common dish in
Honduran cuisine
Honduras, Honduran cuisine is a fusion of Mesoamerican (Lenca), Cuisine of Spain, Spanish, Caribbean cuisine, Caribbean and African cuisines. There are also dishes from the Garifuna people. Coconut and coconut milk are featured in both sweet and sa ...
, and is sometimes used to add spiciness to various foods.
It is also a common condiment "throughout coastal Central America" that is used as an "all-purpose" sauce in these areas.
It is also commonly used in
Mexican cuisine
Mexican cuisine consists of the cooking cuisines and traditions of the modern country of Mexico. Its earliest roots lie in Mesoamerican cuisine. Its ingredients and methods begin with the first agricultural communities such as the Olmec and M ...
and
Mexican-American cuisine
Mexican-American cuisine is the cuisine of Mexican Americans and their descendants, who have modified Mexican cuisine under the influence of American culture and immigration patterns of Mexicans to the United States.
What many recognize as M ...
as a table condiment.
In the United States and other areas, mass-produced jarred or canned encurtido consisting of chili peppers, carrot and onion is sold in Mexican markets.
It is a relatively simple dish to prepare, in which denser vegetables such as carrots and beets are gently boiled or simmered in water until slightly softened, and then these and other softer vegetables such as onions, which do not require pre-cooking, are added to a boiling vinegar brine.
In Honduras, encurtido has been commercially prepared since at least 1898.
At that time, the product was typically bottled with a
hermetic seal
A hermetic seal is any type of sealing that makes a given object airtight (preventing the passage of air, oxygen, or other gases). The term originally applied to airtight glass containers, but as technology advanced it applied to a larger categor ...
to prevent spoilage, and labels were attached to the bottles.
Bottling was performed in part due to the climate in Honduras, which made unbottled encurtido prone to swift spoilage.
See also
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Curtido
Curtido () is a type of lightly fermented cabbage relish. It is typical in Salvadoran cuisine and that of other Central American countries, and is usually made with cabbage, onions, carrots, oregano, and sometimes lime juice; it resembles sauer ...
– a lightly fermented cabbage relish
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Giardiniera
Giardiniera (, ) is an Italian relish of pickled vegetables in vinegar or oil.
Varieties and uses
Italian giardiniera is also called sottaceti ("under vinegar"), a common term for pickled foods. It is typically eaten as an antipasto or with s ...
– an Italian relish of pickled vegetables in vinegar or oil
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List of pickled foods
This is a list of pickled foods. Many various types of foods are pickled to preserve them and add flavor. Some of these foods also qualify as fermented foods.
Pickled foods
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B
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Pickled carrot
A pickled carrot is a carrot that has been pickled in a brine, vinegar, or other solution and left to ferment for a period of time, by either immersing the carrots in an acidic solution or through souring by lacto-fermentation. Pickled carrots ar ...
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References
External links
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{{Condiments, state=collapsed
Central American cuisine
Condiments
Honduran cuisine
Pickles