IT’S PICKLE TIME !
Hello there pickles! I can’t believe it’s already been 11 weeks from my first term in my Culinary program, time . I am back with more fun stuff about food, particularly this time its preservation, or pickles! I personally don’t really enjoy eating pickled food because it’s really sour. For example, if I order a Big Mac burger in McDonald’s, I would prefer without the pickles, it’s just ruin the flavor. I know right, silly, but that’s how I like my burger. Maybe add another Junior Chicken burger in it, HAHA. It is what it is, folks.
So, where were we? Yes, pickles! Let’s get back on track.
“What kind of pickles are you going to make if you hate eating pickles or sour food?”
That is a good question, actually, thank you. Since, I don’t really enjoy eating pickles, so I researched how to make pickles that’s not sour. In the middle of my research, I just remember that my mother always made it back home and here quite often. Then ask my mother the recipe. It turned out it’s actually quite simple and similar with the one that I researched online.
ACAR – INDONESIAN PICKLE
Yes, Acar (a-CHAR). That’s what we called it back home in Indonesia. It is a fresh raw vegetables pickle that we usually use as in cold side dish to accompany some of our Indonesian BBQ or fried dish. For example, satay (skewers), nasi goreng (fried rice), rendang (beef curry) and many more. So, below is where the recipe is, have a look.
It’s really simple and pretty straight forward. You can do it at home on the weekends or like me, after school. Since the ingredients is not hard to find and some of them I already have at home, so I decided to go to St. Lawrence Market after I finished my class. Also, I’ve made some changes on the recipe as well.
|
Original Recipe |
Additional Recipe (Improvised) |
| 2 Small Cucumber – Remove the seeds and cut into cubes | 1 Long English Cucumber – Slice and cut into smaller pieces |
| 2 Small Carrot – peeled and cut into cubes | 3 Nantes Carrots – Peeled and cut into smaller paysanne |
| 25 Thai chili – remove the stems | 1 Red Chilli Pepper – Clean the seeds and cut into smaller piece |
| 15 Shallot, Peeled and half each shallot | 1 ½ Shallots – Peeled cut into quarters, then cut them into smaller pieces and 3 Clove Garlic – Minced |
| 500 ml Water | 550 ml Water |
| 150 g Sugar | 4 Tbsp Sugar and 1 ½ Tbsp Honey |
| 1 Teaspoon Salt | 1 Tbsp Salt |
| 2 Tablespoon Vinegar | 2 Tbsp Vinegar |
These are some of the changes I made from the original recipe because I only make a small amount of Acar or Pickles, and like I mentioned earlier that most of the ingredients is already at my place. So, the only ingredients that I bought at the market was only carrots and cucumbers.
Oh, I almost forgot. I also got a proper glass jar for the pickle from the market.
THE PRODUCTION
Alright, alright, alright… THE PRODUCTION. Okay. According to the original recipe, this whole pickling process thingy will take me roughly 30 minutes. Somehow, it took me more than 30 minutes.
1. Prepare all the required ingredients, and cut all the vegetables into reasonable size, which mean not too small, but not too big either.
P.S. : I did cut the shallots though. I just forgot to take the pictures. You know what they said about cooking, sometimes you got lost in the production, which is not good, but I’m new at this, so yeah, I think it’s acceptable. Haha.
2. Prep the water, bring to boil. not too hot though.
When the water is about to boil, add all the salt, sugar, honey and vinegar as required, then bring the heat to simmer until the salt and sugar dissolved. When it did, take off the heat, let it cool off a little bit To speed the cooling process you could transfer it into different pan or pot and put it in the freezer, fridge, or a blast chiller if you guys have it HAHA
3. When it’s cooled down. Mix the cooled liquid with the cut vegetables. Stir it slowly, you don’t want damaged the vegetables with your sharp spoon, do you?
P.S. : Try not to put the vegetables into the mixed liquid if it’s still warm or even hot because you don’t want to cook the vegetables into mushy squishy texture. You want it to be FRESH, COLD, CRUNCHY texture.
4. Let it sit there for 5 – 10 minutes. Go watch Netflix or something. When it’s done, transfer it into the prepared glass jar. Then put it into the fridge for a night.
VOILÀ!
THE FINAL PRODUCT
THE LESSON OR FEEDBACK
What do you think? Looks great isn’t? All the color is bright. This pickle will last at least 1 – 2 weeks. Well, the vegetables texture will change after the first week, it will not as crunchy and fresh as the first night you taste it, but it will still consumable and taste the same or sometimes it taste better for the vegetables absorb the mixture.
This side dish is just one of many variation of Acar. Also
Again, its only my parents and I that be able to taste this. So, when I tried it the day after I made it. The flavor is exactly what I wanted. It was sweet with a little bit sour taste, and has a spicy kick from the shallots, the shallots was quite strong. Although, I might put too much of salt. As when my mother taste it, she said it was too salty. YUP, I put too much salt. Now, it only come down to my father. He tasted it, he didn’t say anything about the saltines (He’s being nice, thank you). However, he said that it needs more vinegar and more sugar. He also said that, it should be has a strong sourly flavor from the vinegar.
Basically, it needs a little bit more of everything, sugar, vinegar, and salt or let’s say it’s under seasoned haha. Well, in my defense, every people have different taste. However, I also agree with their feedback, it’s too salty. In the end of the day, I added more vinegar and sugar, a couple of table-spoon each. Just to balance the saltines and maybe its just need more time at least let it sit for more that 1 night.
So, what do you guys think?
Thank you for reading patiently, I really appreciated! If anyone has any feedback on this post, please do let me know so that I can improve whatever that needs to be improved. Please, leave a comments, likes below and lots of love. Cheers!
Silly Foodie 