Sylvia Heard's famous choko pickles.

Seriously, mum was famous for these pickles.  When I was young we had a choko vine, so we used those, and I vividly remember helping dad by picking them up off the ground and putting the chokos into buckets.  As mum got older she moved and simply bought her chokos.   Dad used to help mum make many bottles of these pickles, and later in life he helped by chopping the vegetables in a blender for mum to then cook.

Mums maiden name was Heard, her married name Clark, but I decided to call them after her maiden name.  She used to give them to everyone we knew in the neighborhood, and be asked if she had any extra often.    Be warned they are addictive.

There is only 15 minutes of cooking time but the pickles are made over two days.  On the first day its cutting and soaking.  The next day is cooking, making the pickle mixture, combine and cook.  Then bottle.

The   measurements are exactly as she gave them to me.

Mum and dad, taken around 1950

Ron and Sylvia Clark.

Choko Pickles

Rating : Moderate

Ingrediants:

8 large choko's
2 lb brown onions
1-1/4 pints vinegar
1 lb brown sugar
2 rounded tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 rounded tblsp mustard
1 rounded dessertspoon tumeric
1/2 cup plain flour

Method:

Peel chokos and onions.  Cut up finely, or put through a food processor.  Soak overnight in cold, salted water.

Next day  Bring the chokos and water to the boil, boil for 5 minutes.  Strain, set aside.

Mix the other ingrediants, and bring to the boil.  Add vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour into sterilized bottles, cover with celephane.  Seal with lids when totally cold.