Nyonya Acar

Wow, time flies ...now it is back to my normal routine after a week of CNY celebration . Kids have gone back to work and we are back in Ipoh enjoying our lazy laid back days. Me to my baking, cooking and my  and not to forget my photography lessons :) and my other half back to his own work. I have retired for two years now and I am still enjoying the laid back days :) People asked me whether I am bored..of course NOPE.  The reason being cooking and baking and gardening and photography lesson is enough to keep me occupied and excited.  Each time I cook or bake something interesting, photography lesson will be in progress :) and needless to say gardening and photography goes hand in hand !  How can I be bored :p I wish there are 28 hours in a day...4 more hours to enjoy my gardening and cooking !

Okay back to this Nyonya Acar an appetizing pickled vegetable , with its sour and spicy taste, normally served as a side dish  with a main dish .  I have been wanting to make this appetizing and flavorful Nyonya side dish many months back but did not due to my travelling to and fro to Semenyih in the last one year . As promised not to procrastinate this year, I made this side dish using My Kitchen Snippets recipe and gosh I am glad that I made it at last :)  Worth all the hard work getting this dish done. 

these are the ingredients used for making nyonya acar :) 

I used 4 types of vegetables only, some add pineapple to it

but for me I made it simple just using carrot, cabbage, cucumber and longbeans

 

 pounded ingredients consists of fresh turmeric, Serai (lemongrass ),

galangal (aromatic rhizome ), shallots, garlic, chilli paste, shrimp paste (belacan)

 

toasted peanuts and toasted sesame seeds are to be added to the sauce

and as garnishing for the nyonya acar.  I toasted the peanuts and sesame seeds 

a day before making the Nyonya Acar so as not to 

load myself with too much work :p

love the yellow color of this dish..so good for the eyes and

it makes me drool the whole time while I was making this dish

Nyonya Acar - adapted from My Kitchen's Snippet

Ingredients :

3 cucumber - (removed the seeds) and cut into 4cm strips
300g cabbage leaves, cut into 2.5cm squares
2 carrots cut into 4cm strips
150g long beans, cut into 4cm strips

To make into paste:

6 fresh red bird eye's chillies
15 dried chillies –soak in hot water until soft
12 shallots
6 cloves garlic
2 cm fresh turmeric root
 1" galangal (lengkuas)
5 candlenuts/almond or macadamia nuts
2 stalk lemon grass, sliced finely
1.5” of shrimp paste (belachan) - optional

 Vinegar mixture:

1cup of white vinegar * I used only 3/4 cup
1 cup water
10 tbsp of brown sugar (more if you like it sweeter)
2 tsp salt
300g roasted peanuts, skinned and pounded
10 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

For blanching the vegetables:

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


Method:


1. Rub cucumber slices with 1 tbsp salt. Leave aside for one hour. Wrap in clean towel or muslin cloth and squeeze out excess liquid. Put all the ground ingredients in a food processor and ground into paste and set it aside.

2. Bring water, vinegar, salt and sugar for blanching vegetables to a rapid boil. Blanch the vegetables (except cucumber) one type at a time for 15 second. Remove and using a clean kitchen towel, squeezed the water out of the vegetable and set it aside.

3. Heat up about 3-4 tbsp of oil in frying pan and stir-fry the ground ingredients until fragrant and the oil begins to separate. Stir in water and vinegar. Add sugar and salt and bring to a boil, then leave to cool completely. Check seasoning as you might need to add more sugar to it.

4. Stir in all the prepared vegetables, peanuts and sesame seeds. Store in a clean jar and refrigerate.

Enjoy!