Greetings beautiful hive people. It's been 3 months since my last update. So much has happened (and continues to happen) that I don't know where to begin!
The biggest life change for us has been the decision to stay in Cambodia. We've let go of our plans to move to Portugal or South America.
Cambodia has truly felt like home for the past 10 years. It's a place where we feel safe and secure. That's why we recently decided to make our home base here by buying some land, putting our travel dreams on hold.
A few weeks ago, we visited family and friends in Belgium for 3 weeks. It was so good to spend time with them, even though it was super cold and raining most of the days. Upon returning to Cambodia, we stumbled upon a one-hectare plot at the foot of a mountain. It's completely surrounded by nature and blissfully devoid of neighbors.
We're currently in the process of buying this little piece of paradise! While there are a few hurdles to clear and some additional research needed, we're hopeful that we can soon start making our dream a reality – building a house and working towards an off-the-grid lifestyle.
An update and pics of the land will follow once we make it official.
But let’s talk about one of my latest recipes, pickled jackfruit.
I've been on a quest to perfect my jackfruit pickle recipe, particularly for using it as a meat substitute. While fresh, unpickled jackfruit works well too, pickling it beforehand adds a depth of flavor and softens the texture, making it easier to work with. Plus, the pickle itself is delicious in salads, not just as a meat alternative.
Finding the right jackfruit is key. You want one that's not quite ripe yet, but not too immature either. When we lived in Kep, we had plenty of jackfruit trees. Unfortunately, there aren't any where we live now. Thankfully, one of our close friends has an abundance, so I've been getting a steady supply of jackfruits in various stages of ripeness to experiment with.
While the specific ripeness of the jackfruit will influence the final flavor, feel free to experiment and find what works best for you. Here's my easy pickle recipe to add a burst of flavor to your jackfruit.
Peeling: Oil your knife to prevent the sticky jackfruit resin from adhering to it. Peel the jackfruit completely.
Slicing: Cut the jackfruit into bite-sized slices, about 12-18 millimeters thick. Add the slices to a clean jar.
Dissolve the Salt: Prepare a saltwater brine by adding 50 grams of salt to 1 liter of water. Stir or shake the mixture well to ensure the salt dissolves completely.
Submerge the Jackfruit: Pour the brine over the jackfruit slices in the jar. Place a weight on top of the jackfruit pieces to keep them submerged in the brine for the entire soaking period.
Soak the jackfruit in the brine for 24 hours. After soaking, drain the brine and rinse the jackfruit pieces thoroughly to remove excess salt.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a saucepan, bring water, apple cider vinegar, salt, and sugar (or maple syrup) to a boil.
Add Spices: Turn off the heat and stir in your desired spices.
Pour and Cool: Allow the pickling liquid to cool slightly before pouring it over the jackfruit in the jar.
Store: Let the pickle cool completely before sealing the jar. Store the jar in the refrigerator for best results.
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