Mixed Pickled Vegetables (Acar Campur)
Acar campur is a very simple Indonesian pickle salad. Here is one example, of which there are many variations, some of which depend on what items are in season.
1 fresh red pepper, seeded and sliced
1 medium onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½-inch cube terasi (shrimp paste)
4 macadamia nuts or 8 almonds
1-inch piece of fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ cup corn, sunflower, or olive oil
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup water
¼ cup white sugar
3 medium carrots
1 small cauliflower
1 medium cucumber
1 cup white cabbage
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
Place the pepper, onion, garlic, shrimp paste, nuts, and turmeric in a food processor. Blend to a paste-like consistency.
Heat the processed paste mixture in the oil for 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, while preparing vegetables.
2 minutes
Cut carrots into desired bite-sized shapes. Cut green beans into short, even lengths. Separate cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Peel seeded cucumber and cut into bite-sized cubes. Cut cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
Blanch each vegetable separately in boiling water for 1 minute. Rinse in cold water to halt the cooking. Drain well.
1 minute
Add the vegetables to the boiled paste sauce. Gradually bring the entire mixture to a boil. Cook for 5–10 minutes. Do not overcook—the vegetables should still be crunchy.
5–10 minutes
Remove from heat. Add the peanuts to the mixture and cool.
Once cool, cover and chill for at least 3 days before serving.
- •Indonesian pickles tend to include a variety of shredded vegetables and spices, including the following: Carrot