SPICY MIXED VEGETABLES PICKLE AKA NYONYA ACAR

This spicy, sweet and sour pickle with aromatic toasted peanuts and sesame seeds is one of the most authenticated Nyonya cuisine.

This wonderful, delicious recipe is courtesy from Uncle Lee.
Hi Uncle, thanks for giving me another addictive recipe to tried out in my kitchen.

A little time consuming from washing the vegetables and cut everything to 4cm bite size. It took me 2 days to prepared......LOL

1st day after sunset - wash the vegetables, drain dry and cut into bite size.
Season the cucumber and chilled in the fridge. No sunbathing the vegetables due to already sunset.
Cling wrap all the vegetables and keep in the fridge, went online busybody in cyber world until 2am and forgotten about it. LOL
2nd day after sunset continue to prepared my pickle. Lesson learn next time do it on a off day. Anyway, let's enjoy the recipe.

Ingredients:

500g cucumber -- quartered lengthwise, remove soft centre and cut into 4cm strips
150g cabbage leaves -- cut into 2 1/2cm squares
150g carrots -- cut into 4cm strips
150g long beans -- cut into 4cm strips
200g cauliflower -- cut into small pieces ( I omitted cos forgot to buy )

Halved and cut into 4cm strips:

3 red chillies
3 green chillies

Slice thinly:

50g young ginger
3 cloves garlic
3 shallots
2 bird eyes chillies (I ADDED ADDITIONAL FOR EXTRA KICK)
50g dried prawns -- soaked and pounded

Ground ingredients:

10 fresh chillies
5 dried chillies
10 shallots
5 cloves garlic
2cm fresh turmeric root
1 tbsp sliced galingale ( lengkuas )
3 candlenuts ( buah keras )
2cm cube toasted belacan or 1 tsp belacan powder
1 stalk lemon grass -- sliced finely ( USE THE WHITE PART ONLY)

Lemon grass

Vinegar mixture

100ml vinegar
200ml water ( I used 100mls )
5 to 6 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Garnishing

125g crushed peanut candy or 100g roasted peanuts -- skinned and pounded
4 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

For scalding vegetables:

600ml water
400ml vinegar
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar

Method:
1/ RUB cucumber slices with 1 tbsp salt.
2/ Leave aside for 1 hour. ( I chilled in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours)
3/ Wrap in clean towel or muslin cloth and squeeze out excess liquid.
4/ Place cucumber slices on a tray and sun for 2 to 3 hours. (This makes the cucumber crunchy.) I OMITTED COS I PREPARE AFTER SUNSET BUT CUCUMBER STILL CRUNCHY.
5/ For the other vegetables, sun them separately in trays for 1 to 2 hours.
(I OMITTED TOO COS IT WAS LATE NIGHT)

6/ Bring water, vinegar, salt and sugar for scalding vegetables to a rapid boil.
7/ Blanch the vegetables, one type at a time:
Dip cucumber and cabbage in boiling mixture for 2 to 3 seconds.
scald the rest of the vegetables -- except chillies -- for 8 to 10 seconds.
Drain vegetables at once in a colander.

8/ Heat oil in wok and fry the ground ingredients until fragrant and the oil begins to separate.
9/ Stir in vinegar and water. Add sugar and salt and bring to a boil then leave to cool completely.

10/ Stir in dried prawns, ginger, shallots and garlic and all the prepared vegetables.
11/ Remove and store in a porcelain jar or a clean, dry glass jar.
12/ When about to serve, mix in peanuts and sesame seeds.

Footnote: The acar will keep for two weeks in the fridge if peanuts have not been mixed in.

Have a great week to all my dear friends. Cheers!