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    Home » Recipes » Condiments, jams and preserves

    Choko Pickles

    Published: May 3, 2022 · Modified: Jun 9, 2022 by Libby Hakim · 20 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Choko Pickles is one of the most popular choko recipes, and this easy Choko Pickles Recipe is based on the old-fashioned recipes shared among Aussie home cooks many decades ago.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Choko Pickles Recipe
    • How to make Choko Pickles
    • The next day
    • Choko Pickles

    Why you'll love this recipe

    It's easier than other recipes! You do need to soak the chokos and vegetables used in the recipe in brine overnight, so plan ahead for pickling day.

    You'll thank yourself later. The recipe makes about 5 medium jars, so you can enjoy your flavour-packed chokos well into the cooler months that follow choko season – or share with your friends.

    (And if you have plenty of chokos, find more awesome choko recipes here).

    Choko Pickles Recipe

    This recipe is based on the recipes pictured below from The Sydney Morning Herald, April 1953, The Australian, January 1923, Port Adelaide News, April 1923, and The Gundagai Independent, April 1932.

    I've tested, tweaked and combined the recipes to create the ultimate Choko Pickles recipe which you can find in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    How to make Choko Pickles

    To get started, you'll need 750 grams of chokos plus:

    • 250 grams onions
    • 250 grams cucumbers, cauliflower or beans (or a combination of all)
    • ¼ cup salt.

    Peel the chokos and remove the seeds. Then, chop the chokos, onions and other vegetables into small pieces and place into a bowl.

    Add salt and stir through. Cover with water and leave, covered, overnight.

    The next day

    Your chokos and veges are now ready to be turned into pickles!

    Drain the chokos and veges and rinse in cold water.

    Now, gather the rest of the ingredients:

    • 2 ⅓ cups white vinegar
    • ⅔ cup apple cider vinegar
    • 500 grams brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
    • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
    • 1 teaspoon curry powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ cup plain flour.

    Combine the white vinegar and brown sugar in a saucepan and stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar.

    Bring the mixture to the boil before adding the vegetables and bringing back to the boil.

    Mix the apple cider vinegar with the remaining ingredients to make a paste.

    Add gradually to saucepan, stirring to combine.

    Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, until it thickens, and then transfer to sterilised jars while the mixture is hot.

    Seal and then allow to cool. Store in a cool, dry place.

    Want more old-fashioned pickles and relishes?

    Of course you do! Here are some of my favourites (or find the entire condiments collection here):

    • bread and butter pickles
      Bread and Butter Pickles
    • pickled beetroot in condiment jar.
      Easy Pickled Beetroot Recipe
    • Tomato Relish in dish with jars in abckground.
      Tomato Relish Recipe
    • cauliflower pickles.
      Cauliflower Pickles

    Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

    For more fun and deliciousness in the kitchen, follow along on Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest, and subscribe for new posts via email.

    choko pickles

    Choko Pickles

    Libby Hakim
    These old-fashioned mustard choko pickles are perfect with a Ploughman's lunch.
    4.91 from 11 votes
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    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Resting time 12 hours hrs
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine Australian
    Servings 5 medium jars
    Calories 1130 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 750 grams chokos
    • 250 grams onions
    • 250 grams cucumbers, cauliflower or beans (or a combination of all)
    • ¼ cup salt
    • 2 ⅓ cups white vinegar
    • ⅔ cup apple cider vinegar
    • 500 grams brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
    • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
    • 1 teaspoon curry powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ cup plain flour

    Instructions
     

    • Peel chokos and remove seeds. Chop chokos, onions and other vegetables into small pieces and place into a bowl.
    • Add salt and stir through. Cover with water and leave, covered, overnight.
    • Drain vegetables and rinse in cold water.
    • Combine white vinegar and brown sugar in a saucepan and stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil. Add vegetables and bring back to the boil.
    • Mix apple cider vinegar with remaining ingredients to make a paste. Add gradually to saucepan, stirring to combine.
    • Simmer mixture for 10 minutes and then transfer to sterilised jars while mixture is hot. Seal and then allow to cool. Store in a cool, dry place.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1130kcalCarbohydrates: 257gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 5709mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 3gSugar: 237gVitamin A: 26IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?If you love it, let me know!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Donna

      April 26, 2025 at 11:02 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! I've made it twice and will make again this week. Thank you

      Reply
    2. Therese

      July 02, 2024 at 12:34 pm

      Love this simple but wonderfully tasty pickles created from such a humble fruit. Great for gifting and loved by all. Thanks Nana Ling 🥹

      Reply
    3. Diane Gordon

      May 08, 2024 at 10:42 pm

      This a good pickles recipe. I did make a few changes. I substituted brown malt vinegar instead of vinegars in recipe. I also added a little bit of chilli powder. As we like to use these pickles on sandwiches I gave them a blitz with the emersion blender. Yummy ham and pickles. I found they have stored very well in the pantry.

      Reply
      • Trudy Bowman

        May 10, 2024 at 2:52 pm

        May I ask which veggies you added to the chokos please?

        Reply
        • Libby Hakim

          May 17, 2024 at 9:05 pm

          I add cauliflower and cucumber when I make them myself. Enjoy!

    4. Esther

      May 10, 2023 at 3:17 pm

      I had to add more flour to thicken. Is this correct or would it thicken as it cools?
      Thank you

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        May 10, 2023 at 3:28 pm

        Hi! It should thicken as it cools, you shouldn't need to add more flour. thanks!

        Reply
    5. wilma

      May 03, 2023 at 10:41 am

      5 stars
      Hi. thanks for the great recipe. My son dropped some chokos in the other day expirso I was happy to make this. Can you tell me the expected expiry time and should they be kept in the fridge. Much appreciated Wilma

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        May 03, 2023 at 11:02 am

        Hi Wilma. You're welcome! I keep them in the fridge for a few months, however I avoid giving guidance here as there are so many factors involved in how long they'll keep. Enjoy your pickles! x

        Reply
    6. Gingernut

      May 01, 2023 at 7:04 pm

      5 stars
      Nice recipe, I couldn’t find my old one as choko is not regular here. The only thing I changed- reduced sugar to 400g for 1kg choko and reduced flour to 1/4 cup and it was thick enough as it thickened more while cooling in a jars. Definitely will keep the recipe for the future, thank you

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        May 01, 2023 at 8:14 pm

        Wonderful! Thanks so much for the feedback, rating and review. Happy cooking 🙂

        Reply
    7. Alex

      February 04, 2023 at 7:13 pm

      5 stars
      Do you have to let the choko pickles to set for 2 weeks or what just asking thank you

      Reply
    8. Diane Gordon

      June 04, 2022 at 9:41 am

      5 stars
      Also as we don't like big chunks of veggies in the pickles I put the stick blender through them before adding the spices.

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        June 06, 2022 at 8:45 pm

        Nice idea! Thanks for leaving a great rating and feedback, Diane 🙂

        Reply
    9. Diane Gordon

      June 04, 2022 at 9:38 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe. My mum has always been the go to lady for pickles in our family. Last time I tried making them they were to salty so ended up in the garbage. Made a triple batch of these yesterday and they are delicious. Also easy to make.👌

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        June 06, 2022 at 8:44 pm

        Yay!! So glad you had success with this recipe. Thanks for leaving a rating and review... and happy pickling! Libby 🙂

        Reply
        • Noel Smith

          April 03, 2024 at 3:25 pm

          5 stars
          This is a fantastic recipe. Everyone I give a jar to just raves about it. Actually it tastes very similar to a recipe my grandmother used to make. I used raw sugar in the second batch I made and I preferred the colour more tasted the same. At this time of year I have so many chokos it such a great way to use them up.

        • Libby Hakim

          April 04, 2024 at 7:41 pm

          Awesome! Thanks for the rave review, Noel. Enjoy your chokos! (Also, here's more recipe ideas for chokos: https://www.cookingwithnanaling.com/choko-recipes/)

    10. Steve Watson

      May 22, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      5 stars
      A good old standard recipe that you can play with and still achieve a great result.
      I found that the addition of capsicum gave a little more zing.
      Finishing time, unless you want crunchy choko, requires considerably more time than 10mins.

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        May 22, 2022 at 7:36 pm

        Thanks for the review and feedback, Steve! Happy cooking 🙂

        Reply
    4.91 from 11 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Libby, a recipe collector and writer. I love everything about home cooking and share modern classics and recipes that have been passed down for generations – I hope you find a few that bring back treasured memories.

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