Spicy Nyonya Achar/Achar Awak












Ingredients A
140gm carrot (cut in 1 ½ in length)
140gm cucumber (remove the middle part, and cut into 1 ½ in length)
170gm cauliflower (break into small florets)
100gm long beans (cut 1 ½ in length)
150gm Chinese cabbage (cut 1 ½ in in length)
3 red chillies (sliced diagonally)
150ml vinegar
5 tbsp or more sugar
Salt to taste

Ingredients B
1 liter water
1 tsp salt
150ml vinegar
4 tbsp sugar

Ingredients C
To be pounded
3  fresh red chillies (can deseed if you want less spicy)
8 dried chillies(soaked in hot water for 15mins and drained)
3 candlenuts
5 shallots
3 nips garlic
1in shrimp paste
2in fresh turmeric

Ingredients D
30gm toasted sesame seeds
50gm shallot crisps
100gm grounded peanuts (dry fry in a pan, deskin, and pound coarsely)




In a bowl, combine carrots and cucumber with some salt and keep aside for an hour. Then drain and pat dry on a towel. Keep aside.
Separately, boil Ingredients B. Blanch each vegetable(cauliflower, long beans and cabbage)  separately, drain and pat dry and keep aside.
In a wok, heat about ½ cup of oil and sauté the grounded ingredients until aromatic. Add sugar and salt to taste. Saute further, then mix in vinegar and stir and simmer gently until you get the required consistency. Close fire.

In a big bowl, mix carrot cucumber mix, blanch vegetables, red chilies and toss it with the chili paste. Mix in sesame seeds, shallot crisps, and grounded peanuts, I love the crunchiness of the peanuts, therefore, I have added more, you can lessen it. Toss all the ingredients until they are well combined. Keep in a ceramic bowl with airtight lid or glass bowl with lid (make sure air tight) and refrigerate the achar at all time. Serve as and when required. This achar is best prepared a day earlier before serving. It is commonly known as Achar Awak, an achar famous among Peranankan or Penang Nyonyas.







Adapted: The Meatman Channel

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