Achcharu

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 300 gcarrots, in batons
• 300 ggreen beans, in lengths
• 200 gsmall onions, peeled
• 200 ggreen chillies, pricked
• 1small cauliflower, in florets
• 2 tbspsalt

Pickle

• 400 mlcoconut or white vinegar
• 3 tbspmustard seed, ground
• 2 tbspsugar, or to taste
• 2 tspground turmeric
• 1 tbspchilli powder
• 1 tbspginger, grated
• 6 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 2 tbspcoconut oil
• 10curry leaves
• 1 tspsalt

Directions

1. Toss the prepared vegetables with the 2 tablespoons of salt and leave in a colander for two hours, then squeeze them dry and spread them on a tray in the sun for an hour.
2. Drying the vegetables is what keeps achcharu crunchy for weeks. Skipped, the jar goes watery and limp within days.
3. Grind the mustard seed with a splash of the vinegar into a smooth paste. Ground mustard is what thickens and binds achcharu, and it is the ingredient that distinguishes it from an ordinary vinegar pickle.
4. Heat the coconut oil, fry the curry leaves, garlic and ginger for a minute, then add the turmeric and chilli powder off the heat so they do not scorch.
5. Stir in the vinegar, mustard paste, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer for two minutes, then cool completely.
6. Toss the dried vegetables through the cooled pickle until coated.
7. Pack into a clean jar, pressing down so the liquid covers everything, and refrigerate for three days before eating.
8. It keeps a month in the fridge. Serve alongside rice and curry, or with fried fish.

Technique

• Salt, squeeze and dry the vegetables. All three steps.
• Cool the pickle before it meets the vegetables.
• It should be sweet, sour and hot at once. Balance the sugar and chilli at the end.

Substitutions

• Green mango, pineapple or ambarella in place of any of the vegetables.
• White vinegar for coconut vinegar.
• Sunflower oil for coconut oil.

Variations

• A fruit achcharu made with pineapple and mango, which is sweeter.
• The Indonesian acar and Filipino atchara are relatives through the same trade routes.

Frequently asked questions

What is Achcharu?

Achcharu is a fermented & pickled from Sri Lanka: vegetables or fruit steeped in vinegar, mustard and chilli, sweet and sour.

How long does Achcharu take to make?

Achcharu takes 40 min plus 3 days of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes fills a 1-litre jar. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Achcharu?

Yes, within limits. Green mango, pineapple or ambarella in place of any of the vegetables. White vinegar for coconut vinegar. Sunflower oil for coconut oil.

What is the most important thing to get right in Achcharu?

Heat the coconut oil, fry the curry leaves, garlic and ginger for a minute, then add the turmeric and chilli powder off the heat so they do not scorch.