Spicy cucumber pickle

Ingredients

• 6 pickling cucumbers , or 2 regular-sized cucumbers
• 2 banana shallots
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 star anise
• 75 g caster sugar
• 150 ml vinegar

Method

1. Cut the pickling cucumbers in half lengthways, and slice regular ones through the middle, then into fingers. Peel and finely slice the shallots.
2. Put the cucumbers and shallots in a colander. Sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of sea salt. After 45 minutes, rinse well.
3. Combine all the other ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
4. Fit the cucumbers snugly into a Kilner jar, then pour over the liquid. Seal and leave for at least 24 hours.

Source: Jamie Oliver