Refrigerate overnight to let the flavors develop. They will develop even more as time goes by. Go for it after 24 hours. Time to eat them up.

Whenever I have onions to use up, this is my go to “waste not” recipe. It not only preserves them, but upcycles them into a delicious garnish to use on top of stews, salads and stir-fries. Come to think of it, their bright pink colour and sour twang will make almost any savoury dish sing. Put the onions in a large saucepan and stir in the malt vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Vinegar. I'm using a simple white vinegar for this recipe, though you can use apple cider vinegar for a slightly sweeter, tangier version. It works great. Tip the cucumber into a colander and rinse under very cold water. Drain well, tossing to remove as much excess water as possible. Trim the ends of the cucumbers – there’s no need to peel them unless the skins are tough. Remove the seeds by running a teaspoon down the length of each cucumber half. Slice the cucumber halves into 4–5mm/¼in pieces. Put in a large bowl with the sliced onion and sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat. Cover the surface with baking paper and a large plate and leave in a cool place for at least 2 hours – anything up to 24 hours will be fine.

Also, you can coax more flavor from your whole spices by lightly toasting them in a small saucepan before using.

Place the jars on a baking sheet and put them in the oven to dry completely – this should take around 10 minutes but can vary. Mix five tablespoons of the white wine vinegar with the mustard powder, turmeric, ginger, chilli flakes and cornflour. Stir the remaining white wine vinegar and the sugar into the malt vinegar and onions until dissolved. Tip the drained vegetables into the same pan, return to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sugar: To add the sweetness to balance add out the spicy flavor, you will need white granulated sugar. The salt draws out the excess moisture from the vegetables, which will help keep them crisp, intensify their flavour and improve their preservation by preventing the excess water diluting the vinegar.Got a hankering for mustard seeds? Go for it. Want some dried basil? Sure thing! Want a spicy chili powder? Yes! I love it. Make this recipe your own.