Thursday 16 February 2017

Spicy Cucumber Acar (Acar Timun)


Here is the recipe for the acar timun (cucumber pickles) that I made and served with my Nasi Beriani Hujan Panas, in case anyone is interested. This acar complements the savory rice and curry beautifully.



But if you buy nasi briyani from the shop, they will give you very little acar. Everyone will be fighting for these appetizing pickles.

I suppose you could pay for extra (and you should) because this pickle makes your briyani meal extra special.


When cooking at home, ah! You can have as much acar as your heart desires. And that's what I did. 


This acar is also great with nasi minyak and nasi tomato. Its sour notes helps to cut through the greasy rice and curry. 

You would be happy to know that you need not pound any spice paste for this. Now, that's my kind of acar hee...hee....

Spicy Cucumber Acar
Recipe source : Adapted from Curly Babe's Satisfaction

Ingredients :
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 carrot
- 8 shallots, cut into halves
- 2 red chillies
- 2 green chillies
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced

- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp chilli paste (or can use chili powder)
- 1 tsp mustard seeds

- 1 tsp salt

Pickling liquid :
- 1 cup distilled vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt

Method :
1. Cut cucumbers into quarters and remove pith.
2. Cut each quarter into 3 or 4 sections (depending on length of cucumber) and slice into strips.
3. Put cucumber strips into a colander and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Using your hand, rub salt all over the cucumbers and let stand for one hour for liquids to be released. Thereafter, gently squeeze to removed remaining liquids.
4. Meanwhile cut the carrots into strips.
5. Slice the chilies into half, lengthwise and remove seeds. Then slice chilies into strips.
6. To make the pickling liquid, mix vinegar, sugar and salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Taste and adjust if necessary.
7. Heat oil in wok and briefly fry the mustard seed until they sputter.
8. Add chili paste and turmeric powder. Saute until aromatic.
9. Pour pickling liquid into the wok and bring to a boil.
10. Pour all the pickle ingredients into the wok and stir to mix. 
11. Remove from the wok into a bowl and let stand to cool. Keep mixing to ensure even pickling and taste after an hour. Adjust seasoning as required.
12. Store cooled pickle in an airtight container and place in the fridge. Best served the day after.

34 comments:

  1. Not a big fan of acar because I dont fancy sour food much. For past few years there was someone giving us acar but none this year. Nevertheless my keropok very "laku" and finished by the kids mostly.

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  2. i love to eat acar. thanks for the recipe. :)

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  3. I love acar! Can send me one bottle please? :D

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    1. Ann, too late lioa! The bottle is empty hee..hee...

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  4. Wah this one I like! Just eat with plain white rice is good enough!

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  5. So beautiful! These delicious pickles would brighten up any meal!!!

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    1. Thank you! They perk up the appetite quite a bit too.

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  6. I'm salivating. .. I love acar too :)

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  7. This is a newly acquired taste for me.

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  8. Memang menyelerakan kalau ada acar dengan nasi beriani. Dari byk2 gambar tu, SB tertarik dengan gambar bekas acar bertudung biru tu, sangat cantik

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    Replies
    1. Bekas tu auntie punya, Untung dia bagi kat PH.

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  9. Some place, the acar, not nice, your acar is so tempting...

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  10. My missus made this for Chinese New Year, still got a bottle in the fridge. Can take out and eat with rice when dishes not much or not so nice, sure will eat more. LOL!!!

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    1. Oh, still got some more! Mine finished liao. Sobs!

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  11. A very appetizing dish.. love to have these together with my chap farn or chicken rice..

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  12. Since I love all things zesty and tangy, you would think I'd love acar too. But, somehow that's not the case. I think it's the intensity of the vinegar that I'm not a fan of. That's why I don't pickle anything at home.

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    1. Hmmm...perhaps the ones you had were not so well balanced in flavors and were heavy on the acidic part. If well balanced, the acidity is not that sharp.

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  13. Looks delicious! My favourite! Nowadays not many briyani stalls serve this acar, they would usually serve the mixed salad of pineapple and cucumber. I prefer this acar, so appetizing!

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    Replies
    1. This one takes more effort I suppose, hence they served the plain ones.

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  14. Acar perks up a meal. It rocks!

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  15. I love acar but it increases my appetite.

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    Replies
    1. I know...that is not so good. hah..hah..

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  16. I think you left one ingredient..or maybe your forget, or maybe you dont need this in your recipe..udang kering. MyMIL acar recipe got udang kering in it.

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    1. Ticer, this recipe don't use udang kering. The other one Acar Rampai that I tried earlier got. I liked the addition of udang kering. Makes the acar more oopmh!

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  17. I tak berapa suka Acar ni PH. I lebih suka pajeri nenas. My husband pulak suka jelatah, timun dengan nenas mentah tu. Oleh sebab masing masing faveret acar dia lain lain kita beli ajelah senang haha....

    Tapi acar ni memang orang selalu gandingkan dengan nasi minyak...

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    1. Oh gitu...PH suka macam2 acar. Pajeri nenas pun suka, Jelatah pun suka.

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