For the easy vinegar brine version:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cabbage, and simmer for 6 minutes. Fish the cabbage out with a mesh spider or slotted spoon (don’t dump out the water), place in a colander, and shock under cold water immediately until it’s cooled down. Move to a large mixing bowl.
2. Repeat with the celery, simmering them for 3 minutes, then shocking them. Repeat with the carrots, simmering them for 4 minutes, then shocking them.
3. Bring the 1175g/5 cups water to a boil. Add the salt and pickling spices (if using), remove from heat, and stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the vinegar and brine from the giardiniera peppers to the salt water.
4. Mix together the blanched cabbage, celery, carrots, and giardiniera peppers. Stuff the jars with the veggie mix. Shake the jar slightly and nest the ingredients together to help the contents settle. Top each one with the brine, making sure everything is completely submerged (press the veggies down with a spoon if they are not compact enough). Screw shut, and refrigerate. Pickles should last in the refrigerator for at least 2 months, and are best after the first 24 hours (but are still very tasty even after about 2 hours of pickling). Discard them if they start to look or smell off.

For the traditional fermented version:

• Combine the water, sea salt, and curry powder in a clean measuring cup. Stir together until the salt completely dissolves.
• Make sure your vegetables are rinsed well. Cut the cauliflower into small, bite-size florets. Grate the carrots coarsely on a box grater. Very thinly slice the jalapeño.
• Find a very clean 24 oz [710 ml] jar and sprinkle a thin layer of carrots on the bottom. Next, add a layer of cauliflower, followed by more carrots and a few slices of jalapeño. Shake the jar to help the carrots and jalapeños settle into the gaps (add more carrots to fill in the gaps completely). Repeat with another layer of cauliflower, carrots, and jalapeño, finishing with some carrots and jalapeños on top.
• Top the produce with the brine so that everything is completely covered. If any veggies are floating up to the top, weight them down with a tiny ramekin or another food-safe ceramic or plastic object.
• Cover the top with a clean towel or paper towel, secured tightly with a rubber band. Set aside at room temperature (between 70°F and 75°F [21°C and 24°C]) for 4 to 8 days (it will ferment more slowly in a cool kitchen). Do not screw on the lid, or it will explode.
• During the first day or two at room temperature, you should start to notice some bubbles under the surface of the water. Gently jiggle the jar a couple of times a day to help the bubbles rise to the surface and dissipate, and check on it to make sure everything is fully submerged.
• Once the bubbles have died down, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. After 48 hours bubble-free in the fridge, remove the towel and seal it with a lid. They should taste tangy and smell pleasantly funky and fermented but should not smell funky like rotting food. If the pickles smell off to you, discard them or check with a friend who is very experienced with fermenting if you’re unsure. If they develop any visible mold or slime, discard them (mold has roots—do not take the risk). Fermented pickles will last in the refrigerator for a couple of months.