Achar (spicy pickled vegetables)

Name: Achar (spicy pickled vegetables)
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Makes enough to fill 2 x 1 litre jars
Ingredients: 500g cucumber, seeds removed and cut into finger length batons; 200g carrots, cut into finger length batons; 200g cauliflower, broken into small florets; 2 tbsp coarse sea salt; 100g white sesame seeds; 200g roasted peanuts; 300g pineapple, peeled and cut into small pieces; For the marinade; 100g shallots; 6 large red chillies, deseeded; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 100ml vegetable oil; 125ml rice vinegar or white wine vinegar; 150g caster sugar

By: Shu Han Lee

Published: 25 Jul 24
Updated: 25 Jul 24

Test kitchen approved

Shu Han Lee shares a family recipe for her Second Auntie’s achar. Once you’ve tried this incredible, addictive spicy pickle, you’ll be eating it with everything (discover more delicious homemade pickles here).

“All aunties have a signature dish they bring to big family reunions. My Second Auntie is known as the achar maker of the family. This Peranakan pickle of vegetables, pineapple and roasted peanuts is an explosion of colour, taste and texture. Every bite gives you a different crunch and a different hit of sweet, sour or spicy. It’s perfect alongside coconut rice, rich meats and all sorts of Nonya braises and curries. I also often eat it straight from the jar.”

Recipe taken from Shu’s second book, Agak Agak (Hardie Grant £26), and tested by delicious.

Makes enough to fill 2 x 1 litre jars
Hands-on time 45 min, plus overnight pickling

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Ingredients

500g cucumber, seeds removed and cut into finger length batons
200g carrots, cut into finger length batons
200g cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 tbsp coarse sea salt
100g white sesame seeds
200g roasted peanuts
300g pineapple, peeled and cut into small pieces

For the marinade

100g shallots
6 large red chillies, deseeded
1 tsp ground turmeric
100ml vegetable oil
125ml rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
150g caster sugar

Method

Toss the cucumber, carrots and cauliflower with the salt in a large bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the marinade, pound the shallots, chillies and turmeric with a pestle and mortar, or whizz in a small blender until you get a fine paste. Fry this spice paste in a pan with the vegetable oil over a medium heat until aromatic (about 15 minutes). Have a taste – it shouldn’t have any of that raw taste of shallots. Add the vinegar and sugar, bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and leave to cool.
In a separate dry frying pan, toast the sesame seeds until golden, watching carefully to make sure they don’t burn, then set aside to cool. Crush the peanuts in a pestle and mortar (or pulse briefly in a blender – don’t whizz to a paste) and combine with the sesame seeds.
Back to the vegetables. Drain any juices from the vegetables – the cucumbers especially will release quite a bit of moisture, so squeeze them as dry as you can. Add the pineapple pieces, sesame seeds and crushed peanuts to the bowl and combine. Pour over the pickling marinade and mix well.
Transfer into glass jars, then seal and store in the fridge. It’s OK if it looks like the vegetables aren’t quite fully submerged in the pickling liquid, as they’ll continue to release their own juices as they pickle. The pickle is ready the next day and will last for 2 weeks in the fridge (if you can resist).

Recipe from July 2024 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 27kcals
Fat: 1.8g (0.3g saturated)
Protein: 0.7g
Carbohydrates: 1.8g (1.6g sugars)
Fibre: 0.5g
Salt: 0.2g

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