Acar

Acar is a simple pickle; there are probably as many different versions of it as there are different grandmas. Use whichever vegetables you like or happen to have lying about the house, and serve alongside fried chicken (ayam goreng) or rice dishes.

Recipe

1/2 onion, sliced thinly
1 tbsp minced chilli or sambal olek
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced lemon grass
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp light-tasting vinegar (rice wine, white wine, or sherry vinegar are ideal)
2 cups of thinly sliced vegetables of your choice (carrots, daikon, cucumber, red pepper, snow peas, cabbage, beansprouts, etc.)
1 tbsp sesame seeds or chopped toasted peanuts, for garnish

Heat the oil in a saucepan, and add the onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and turmeric. Cook 4-5 minutes, until the onion is soft and the spice mixture is fragrant. Add a small splash of water if it starts to catch on the bottom.

Add the vegetables and toss to coat, then add the sugar and vinegar. Continue to cook until the vegetables are just crisp tender, then take off the heat. Leave to cool, then serve garnished with peanuts or sesame seeds.

Serves: 4
Preparation and cooking time: 15 minutes