Pickled Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 pound baby carrots trimmed to 1/2 inch peeled
• 2 medium beets trimmed ()
• 0.5 teaspoon caraway seeds toasted
• 0.5 small head cauliflower cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch florets
• 3  celery ribs 
• 1.5 teaspoons coriander seeds toasted
• 0.5 cup kosher salt 
• 1.5 cups rice vinegar (not seasoned; 12 fluid-ounces)
• 1.5 teaspoons shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice blend)
• 3 cups sugar 
• 6 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Peel beets, then cut into very thin slices (less than 1/8 inch) with slicer and transfer to a nonreactive heatproof bowl. In separate nonreactive heatproof bowls, combine carrots with caraway seeds, celery with coriander seeds, and cauliflower with shichimi togarashi.
2. Meanwhile, bring water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil in a large nonreactive saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and pour 1 1/2 cups hot brine over beets, 2 cups over carrots, 2 cups over celery, and remaining liquid over cauliflower. Cool to room temperature, stirring and pressing vegetables down occasionally (or keep them submerged with a small plate).
4. Transfer each vegetable with pickling liquid to a separate airtight container and chill, covered, shaking occasionally, at least 1 week.
5. Serve using a slotted spoon.
6. Pickled vegetables can be chilled up to 2 weeks.