Atjar Tjampoer
Submitted by KLN
Crisp matchstick vegetables dance in a tangy sweet-and-sour sauce spiked with sambal heat and golden turmeric. This Indonesian pickle jar classic pairs like a dream with Nasi Goreng.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
5 minREADY
15 minPicture this: bright ribbons of carrot and cabbage, snappy green beans, and cool cucumber cubes, all bathed in a vinegar-sugar bath that’s got just enough chili kick to wake up your taste buds.
This Dutch-Indonesian side dish ("atjar” means pickle, “tjampoer” means mixed) is what happens when you want your veggies to sing instead of snooze on the plate.
The quick-boiled vegetables keep their crunch while soaking up those spicy, tangy, turmeric-stained flavors.
Chef Tips
- Don’t overcook the vegetables in step one. Five minutes keeps them crisp-tender, not mushy.
- Sambal ulek (Indonesian chili paste) is sold in jars at Asian markets. Substitute sriracha or fresh minced chilies in a pinch.
- Store in sterilized jars for gifts. The upside-down cooling trick creates a vacuum seal so these pickles keep for months.
- Serve cold from the fridge alongside grilled meats, fried rice, or curries.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut carrot into the size of matches. Cut beans in 1” pieces. Chafe the cabbage. In a pan with a little water and salt, boil the vegetables for 5 minutes. Drain.
Cut cucumber in small cubes.
Peel scallions and garlic. Put in kitchen machine; cut to paste. Mix with sambal, kunjit and ginger.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the herb-mixture for 2 minutes.
Add vinegar and sugar; stir to dissolve sugar. Add all vegetables (also the ones not cooked yet); add a little water if there is too little liquid. Boil softly for 2 minutes.
Put in a bowl and let cool.
You can also preserve it by putting the hot veggies in sterilized screw-lid jars (metal lids with a ‘dome’ in the middle are quite handy, I always save jam-jars when they’re empty); add liquid as well. Screw the lids on. Place jars upside down until cooled completely (the ‘dome’ in the lid will be down, this is to check if the jar closed well).
Can be kept for at least a year (store in dark place to avoid having the color goes away). Nice as a present!
Kunjit or kurkuma is a herb. If I look on the jar, it says ‘powdered yellow-root'. It is used to color this dish, and other dishes as well. In that way it is much like saffron, although kunjit tastes a little bitter.
Sambal ulek [INDONESIA]: Used as an accompaniment and in cooking. Made by crushing fresh red chilis with a little salt.
Remove the seeds from the chilis, chop finely, then crush with salt using a pestle and mortar. Three chilis will make about 1 tablespoon sambal ulek.
Also available ready-prepared in small jars from Oriental stores and some delicatessens.
This is a refreshing side dish made of crisp, sweet-and-sour vegetables. Goes really well with Nasi Goreng. The dish can be kept in the fridge for a few days.
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