Achar (Preserved cucumber and carrot in chilli with sweet and sour flavour)
Ingredients
1. Cucumber - 3 fruit 2. Carrot - 1 fruit 3. Dried chilli - 15 pcs (soak in hot water for 20mins, grind or pound to fine paste) 4. Shallot - 4 pcs (grind or pound to paste) 5. Vinegar - 4 tbsp 6. Turmeric powder - 2 tsp 7. Sugar - 2 tbsp 8. Lime/lemon juice - 2 tbsp 9. Crushed peanut - 3 tbsp
Preparation 1. Cut each cucumber into 4 quarters and remove the seeds. Afterwhich, do slant cuts and cut it in strips of about 0.5cm thick bite size.
2. Cut the carrot into the same size as the cucumber.
3. Mix both the carrot and cucumber together and add approx. 1tbsp of salt. Mix it evenly into the veggies and set it aside for at least 20min.
The Dish 1. Heat wok using low flame and add 2 tbsp of oil. Introduce the pounded chilli paste n shallot into the wok and slowly saute it for about 7min. Add 2 tsp of turmeric powder and mixed well.
2. After 7 mins, off the heat and add in the sugarand vinegar and mixed it evenly into the chilli paste and allow it to cool down for 5mins.
3. Using a clean cloth, place the cucumber n carrot onto the cloth and squeeze it dry. The salt is suppose to cause the cucumber and carrot to shed out excess water.
4. Upon squeezing out the water, mix it into the chilli paste and mixed them well. Add in the lime/lemon juice and continue to mixed it.
5. Add in the crushed peanuts and mixed well. Taste it and adjust the level of sweetness, sourness or salt according to your own preference. Find a suitable container can store everything into it.
6. Keep it refrigerated for at least 1 day before eating. It should taste better after 1 day.
As this is my first attempt, I didn't want to add too much ingredients as I am not sure whether I will succeed or not. The entire dish is lack of fruity fragrant and taste. Should have added pineapple(natural sourness and light sweetness), china pear (natural sweetness and fluid) and white sesame to the dish. Hopefully I can do better during my next attempt. This dish should goes well with chicken rice, fried rice and even Nasi Lemak.
Hope these will help those whom wanna try out this dish.
Happy cooking and Bon Appetit!
