Why there is always a jar of torshi on the table

Ask anyone who grew up around a Persian table what is always there, and torshi comes up before the rice does.

What it actually does

Rich food needs a sharp edge. Slow-cooked lamb, buttered rice, herb stews — all of them are better with something acidic alongside. Torshi is that edge: mixed vegetables held in vinegar until they turn sour and soft.

Torshi makhloot

The everyday one. Cauliflower, carrot, celery, aubergine and garlic, cut small and packed tight, seasoned with dried herbs and a lot of vinegar. It is a way of putting a whole garden into a jar and keeping it through the winter.

How to serve it

Cold, in a small dish, in the middle of the table. A spoonful per person is plenty — it is there to cut through, not to fill up on.

A note on the vinegar

The brine should stay cloudy and sharp. If a jar smells flat or sweet, the vinegar was too weak to begin with.