Zaytun Msabbah
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the olives
Either leave olives as they are, or cut 3 to 4 slits in each with a fine‑bladed, stainless steel knife or razor blade.
Discard any damaged olives.
Pack into sterilized glass jar or jars, and cover with cold water.
Soak for 3 days, changing water each day.
Make the brine
Measure the last amount of water.
Measure the same amount of fresh water into a pan and add rock salt in the proportion of 1/3 cup to each 4 cups water.
Heat and stir until salt dissolves.
Pack and cure
Pack chilies into jar or jars, placing them amongst the olives.
Pour cool brine on top, filling jars.
Remove any air bubbles and seal with plastic lid.
Store in a cool, dark place for 5 months before using.
Serve
To serve, remove the required amount of olives and rinse under cold water.
Drain and place in a bowl.
Squeeze the juice of a lemon and pour ¼ cup olive oil over.
Stir to blend and leave for an hour or two before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 3 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive | 1 large (4g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Fresh green olives
- Form the main body of the dish; they are cured slowly in brine to lose their bitterness.
- Rock salt
- Draws out bitterness and preserves the olives in the brine.
- Dried hot chilies
- Add heat and aroma as they infuse into the brine and olives.
The step that matters
Keep the olives fully submerged in brine during curing. Olives exposed to air can spoil or grow mould, and a wrong salt level can let spoilage organisms grow, so the brine must cover them and be strong enough to preserve them.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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