1 pound farmers’ market baby carrots
1 cup water, plus more for blanching the carrots
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt (iodine-free, if possible)
2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon mustard seeds, toasted
fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
Trim and peel the carrots and cut them in half lengthwise.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the carrots and blanch until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Immediately drain and run under cold water. Transfer the carrots to a bowl (or jars if you plan to keep the carrots for longer).
Combine 1 cup of water with the vinegar, salt, honey, bay leaf, coriander, ginger, and mustard seeds in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the salt and honey. Pour over the carrots.
Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate in an airtight container for at least an hour and up to a month.
Recipe Notes
Substituting regular carrots: To use regular-size carrots, cut them into sticks about 3 to 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
Substituting spices: Feel free to substitute an equal amount of other toasted spices such as cumin seeds, dill seeds, fennel seeds, anise seeds, or celery seeds. Add heat with a pinch of red pepper flakes.