Achar-Achar (Spicy Salad)

Achar-achar is actually a Hindustani word for spicy variety of pickle. In Malaysia this spicy salad is known as acar-acar. Achar-achar goes well as an accompaniment to any spicy meal (nasi lemak) or eaten by itself. Use it as a dip with prawn crackers. My children will sandwich achar-achar with two pieces of prawn crackers.







This dish is quite laborious. You need to prepare the ground spices and the amount of ground spices depend on how much vegetable you prepare. Always prepare more because any extra can be kept.

Pound or blend all these ingredients: Shallots, Garlic, Lemon grass, Candlenuts, Fresh turmeric root, Galangal and Dried chillies (soaked and seeded). Instead of pound the dried chilies, you can buy chili paste from the market.

Fried all the ground spices with oil till fragrant and oil separated. Add sugar, salt and tamarind paste to taste. Lastly add in pounded peanuts and sesame seeds. Set aside to cool.

Cut cucumber into quarters lengthwise. Cut away the soft center. Slice into strips (4 x 1 cm). Cut carrot into strip (4 x 1cm). Combine cucumber and carrot in a mixing bowl. Mix with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Wash thoroughly with water then drain and squeeze out excess water.

Cut long bean to 4 cm lengths. Cut cabbage into 2 cm square. Prepare a pot of boiling water for scalding vegetable. Mix some vinegar and salt into the boiling water. Scald long bean and cabbage separately for 2 - 3 seconds. Pour the vegetables into a colander and drain well. If possible sun all the prepare vegetables.













In a big mixing bowl, mix the cooked ground spices with the four type of vegetables. You can add in pineapple slices too. Allow the achar-achar to pickle for a day before storing them. Before serving, sprinkle some pounded peanuts and sesame seeds.