Foodie

Friday, October 07, 2005

Acar

This dish is quite laborious but the time taken is well spent as it goes well as an accompaniment to any spicy meal or eaten by itself. Use it as a dip with prawn crackers which is one of the favorites of The Chinese New Year. The vegetables i used are must have but other vegetables like cauliflower, french beans, fresh red and green chillies, whole shallots are good additions.

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Ingredients:

Vegetables:

400g cucumber(kirby, japanese or english)
200g cabbage
200g carrot
100g long beans

Vinegar mixture for blanching the vegetables:

300ml vinegar
500ml water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt

Ground spices :(Blend until it becomes a paste)

8 shallots
4 cloves garlic
2cm piece fresh turmeric root
2cm piece galangal
3 candlenuts
20 dried chillies (soak in hot water)
2 stalks lemon grass
1 tsp roasted belacan

10・5 tbsp roasted pounded peanuts
3 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

4 tbsp oil

Seasoning :

2 tbsp of tamarind(soak with 4 tbsp water and sieved)
5 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp vinegar
salt to taste

Method:

Quarter the cucumber lengthwise without peeling them. Remove its core and cut into1 inch long strips.

Cut long beans into 1 inch length.

Remove the center stem of cabbage and cut them into 1 inch pieces. Tear the leaves into 2 inch squares.

Julienne carrots into fine strips of 1 inch in length.

Bring water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil.

Scald the vegetables following the this order:

1. long beans

2. Cucumber

3. Carrots

4. Cabbage

Remove and drain.

The cucumber and cabbage have to be squeezed to rid of as much excess liquid as possible.

Heat the 4 tablespoons oil in a wok and saute the ground spices until aromatic.

Add seasoning and bring to a quick boil, turn off the heat and allow to cool completely.

Add in all the prepared vegetables. Stir to mix and bottle the acar.

Allow the acar to pickle for a day.

Just before serving mix in sesame seeds and roasted pounded ground peanuts

Serves

17 comments:

Rabbit Sim said...

What is the salt under the "vegetable" used for? Can't find it in the steps....

Unknown said...

rabbit sim

sorry about the error. i forgot to delete them as i do no salt the vegetables before i blanch them. I copied the ingredients so less to type. thanks for informing me

Saju said...

First time at your blog, I love your recipe, I am here to stay!

Unknown said...

Hi Lily,
I would dry the cucumber and carrots by airing them in a tray out in the sun;that makes it crunchy even after it's been pickled. And I don't bother blanching it either so it's eaten raw but dried.

Thanks for all your recipes.I'm Malaysian in Melb and your recipes are fantastic!


Nick

Unknown said...

nick

thanks for the tip

Anonymous said...

Hi, great blog, fantastic recipes and photos. How long can you keep the acar after it has been made? Does it have to be eaten fairly quickly?

Unknown said...

sweetrosie

keep in an airtight jar and make sure you do not eat out of the jar, then the acar can be kept for awhile

Anonymous said...

what kind of vinegar do you use?

Unknown said...

anonymous

i use white vinegar or rice vinegar

Anonymous said...

Lily,

How long do you blench the veggies? My string beans didn't came out the pretty green. It was kinda yellowish, but the texture is still crunchy. I used frozen string beans. Would that have contribuite to the yellowing? Or did I boil it too long?

Thanks,
Pat

Unknown said...

pat

i have not found frozen string beans here but there are cut french beans. These frozen vegs have all been cooked, thaw them and use as is.

All green vegetables used for pickling will turn green eventually.

Anonymous said...

Dear Auntie Lily,
I made Acar again using your recipe. Added some fresh pineapples. Shared it with my friends from Singapore and they loved it! Thanks again for sharing this recipe.

Reese Darragh said...

Dear Lily,
Just done making the acar. It came out great. Tasted just like how my granny used to make it. I cheated though. Used onion instead of scallion and I have to use all powder for most of the spices; galangal, lemongrass and tumeric. It still comes out tasting great. Will move on to make the pineapple tarts and peanut cookies tomorrow. Will keep you posted on the outcome.

bluerose said...

Other vegies I added are eggplants/aubergine and bamboo shoots. I love bamboo most.

Lulu said...

Thanks for the recipe. Is it okay if I put it on my blog ?

Unknown said...

luu

you are most welcome

Rebecca said...

Hi Lily, instead of blanching the veggie, you try to rub cucumber, cabbage, carrot, turnip with some salt and sugar -- basic ingredients, blanch long bean only as the veggie will be more crunchy.The cucumber, turnip and cabbage have to be squeezed to rid of as much excess liquid as possible. You can add in pineapple but it will not last long. My mom & I loved to make a lot and keep in the fridge.( as each type of veggie a bit and ended up a few boxes of acar !)

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