It may be a little later than I anticipated but I have attempted to replicate panyan pickle based on the ingredients listed on the original jar. A couple of ingredients have changed, I used cornflour rather than potato starch to thicken the pickle and I suspect I am using a better quality vinegar than the original but, it is done and will soon be for sale in the online shop. This week!
I have based the spicing on all your memories using tamarind, ginger, curry spices etc I need to know if I have got it right.
I do need more feedback, a jar was sent to a panyan pickle lover who says she has tried all panyan pickles on the market. She responded by buying 6 jars and emailed how much she loved it but said her memory wasn’t sharp enough to give true analysis.
To this end the first 10 people who order the pickle online will have the cost of the jar refunded if they are prepared to give me feedback, good or bad, just put the word ‘feedback’ in the’ instructions to seller’ and I will refund the purchase. Unfortunately the postage will still need to be paid and this is £6.00. Only one free jar per purchaser but of course you can buy anything you want to dilute the postage costs.
Alternatively email me and I can invoice you I am useless at technology.
PanYan Pickle on Cranfields Foods website
Cranfields' Foods Blog 
Oh Yummy – This is a lot better than my amateurish attempt and is close to what I remember.
The colour is lighter than the original.
I used Muscovado sugar and malt vinegar in my attempt and the colour looked about right with the yellow of the turmeric showing through more when it was spread.
(I wouldn’t be surprised if they used Molasses in the original recipe and not thought it necessary to list it in the ingredients)
Your is also slightly more runny than I remember and the ‘tang’ Is milder – a touch more curry powder needed perhaps?
Overall though this is a lovely pickle and It was a lovely accompaniment to my first ploughman’s lunch for years
Very many thanks,
Tony Johnson.
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Thank you Tony, I will use potato starch next time as I have sourced some and that was on the original ingredient sheet. Logged what you say about the curry note and look forward to other comments….still a few free jars for feedback purposes if anyone else in the UK wants to try.
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My recollection was that it was similar to Branston pickle, although less brown in colour and a lot less vinegary. It had a bit more yellow in it, mellower, smoother and sweeter.
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I absolutely loved PanYan, I know when it was still around they changed the recipe slightly and it wasn’t the same, have been trying to find this for years, I must admit your one looks very light in colour and big chunks of veg etc, it was a sweeter taste, I preferred it more than Branston.
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Bought one to try as a pan yan lover. Not bad attempt would agree needs to be darker (I remember the yellow showing through when spread).
The vegetable pieces seem the right size as I remember them just the taste a lot milder. as suggested above slightly more curry powder.
Final suggestion put a version number on, as I would like to try batch v2.0.
excellent job for trying
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Hi Colin
Thank you Colin for your analysis and I appreciate the idea of a version number, good idea.
I have added more curry powder but I suspect the mildness (depending on the version you tried) is also due to the fact I am using wine vinegar instead of spirit vinegar. I ‘m afraid I won’t use spirit vinegar as I don’t like it. The dark hue of the original panyan was due to added colouring (caramel) I don’t think this should affect the taste.
I am not able to do another version at the moment as seasonal fruit is in full flow but will let you know if I do.
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Trying really hard to get my hands on pan yan pickle. Even looking through cranfieldsfood website I just cannot get it. Although it’s mentioned it’s not on the order list, help please
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Sorry it has been out of stock but is back on site this evening.
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ok 4 jars in post of version 2 (1 smashed unfortunately) I can say its much closer than version 1, It has the right look and taste is good.
Comments from memory of Panyan I can remember the carrots not being quiett so soft , on first taste the curry flavour is just a shade too much.
Improvement on version 1 rated a 5 out of 10, version 2 defo 7 out of 10.
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Sorry about the smashed jar, will remedy that, the final version will be out sometime in the New Year.
I have learnt there is no such thing as a collective memory, I should have known this, when I have a jar of anything out for tasting, everyone tastes the same jar differently. The final version will be tweaked as to texture and spicing then I am afraid I will be sticking with my ‘variation’ it will never be the ‘same’ for everyone and indeed I use different vinegars and thickening agents and probably spices so it can’t be.
Thank you to everyone who has raised constructive criticism and for those few that have been ‘disappointed’ I am sorry. There was never a recipe to follow, I hadn’t tasted the pickle, this was an experiment. However I hope those that have had mark 2 have enjoyed it and everyone has a great Christmas.
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I can only thank you for making the effort to get as close as you can. I used to live on PanYan so I very much appreciate your efforts. Will be buying for ages. so thanks
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Thank you!
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Hi, I have read with interest your attempts to resurrect the much love Pan Yan pickle.
When the factory was taken over they started to alter the appearance and taste of Pan Yan, as they were already churning outthe very sweet Branston Pickle.
By gradually simulating the two tastes they could eventually drop one brand and save costs.
So people from different eras have a different perceptions of taste & colour!
The very original colour looked slightly darker than your original sample on this posting…almost a dark khaki -green, the brown was added towards the end of its days.
It had a almost sour sweet taste…mostly sour and a consistency of most modern day pickles.
The slightest thing, as you know can alter the taste so why not use potato flour and the original type of vinegar…if you want it to taste the same…use the same!
Good luck.
Ken Bradley.
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Absolutely agree with your comment, Ken. I’m puzzled, though, as to why Premier Foods doesn’t respond to the obvious worldwide potential demand for Panyan and reinstate the product. Losing the recipe sounds a trifle weak when a tiny company like Cranfield is prepared to have a go at reproducing it from scratch.
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Cranfields is I’m afraid going to sleep with the recipe for a period of time to concentrate on Proper Marmalade. Relabeling etc as now required by law is too expensive to justify (nutritional information won’t fit on our labels).
If Premier Foods wants to buy my recipe I would be happy to talk to them!
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You know how big companies are apt to miss the obvious. The trendy “young things” of Premier’s upper management have probably never heard of Panyan. How about offering the recipe to them? You never know- you could soon be crashing around town in a Roller, Premier will get a huge profit lift and I’ll get a jar of Panyan. Everybody’s happy!
In the meantime, don’t forget me when Cranfield wakes up.
(Don’t know why there’s so much insistence on label content these days. Granny always said you can’t judge the marmalade by the label on the jar).
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I agree with Granny, taste is all 🙂
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