Acar

 ( Betawi Cuisine ) 

Acar () is a type of vegetable pickling of Maritime Southeast Asia, most prevalent in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It is a localised version of Indian achar.Hoogervorst, Tom (Dec 2018). " Sailors, Tailors, Cooks, and Crooks: On Loanwords and Neglected Lives in Indian Ocean Ports". Itinerario. Research Institute for History, Leiden University. 42 (3): 533. doi: It is known as atjar in Dutch cuisine, derived from Indonesian acar. Acar is usually prepared in bulk as it may easily be stored in a well-sealed glass jar in refrigerator for a week, and served as a condiment for any meals.

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History Pickling originated in India around 2400 BCE, and with expansion of Indosphere on Greater India,

Kenneth R. Hal (1985). 9780824808433, University of Hawaii Press. . ISBN 9780824808433

through transmission of Hinduism leading to Indianisation, and the formation of native Southeast Asian kingdoms which adopted many Indian cultural elements, including food processing techniques.

Through examining the etymology, the similar sounding name strongly suggests that indeed acar was derived from the Indian achar pickle. Indian achar was transmitted in antiquity to the maritime realm of Southeast Asia, which today is recognized as acar in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, and then on to the Philippines as atchara. The adoption of this vegetable pickling technique possibly took place during the Srivijaya period between 7th to 13th century.

British navigator Thomas Forrest wrote that acar made of salted limes and palm vinegar were often of use to Coromandel Coast Tamil Muslims sailors ( Chulias) to prevent scurvy and were sold as far as Aceh.

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Ingredients The Southeast Asian variations are usually made from different vegetables such as cucumber, , cabbage, shallot, bird's eye chili and , which are pickled in vinegar, sometimes with kaffir lime to add citrus aroma, and also dried chile pepper. Some recipes might have the vegetables tossed in ground . Acar is commonly served as a condiment to be eaten with a main course, such as Murtabak, nasi goreng (fried rice), satay, and almost all varieties of soto. Just like common pickles, the sour taste of acar is meant to freshen up a meal, especially fishy dishes such as ikan bakar (grilled fish) or rich and oily dishes such as mutton satay to neutralize the fat.

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Regional cuisines

In Indonesia, acar is commonly made from small chunks of cucumber, carrot, shallot, bird's eye chili and occasionally pineapple, and marinated in a sweet and sour solution of sugar and vinegar. Some households add lemongrass or ginger to spice it up. It is usually used as condiment to accompany grilled foods such as satay. Nevertheless, acar can also be consumed as a whole, complete dish. For example, ikan acar kuning is a fish dish (gourami, mackerel or tilapia) served in acar pickles of cucumber, carrot, shallot and red chili, mixed with yellow spice paste made of ground turmeric, candlenut, ginger, garlic and shallot. It is known as atjar (pickle) in Dutch cuisine, derived from Indonesian acar, since the Netherlands and Indonesia share colonial ties.

Variations of Malaysian and Singaporean acar include acar awak or Nyonya acar and Malay people acar. Acar awak is more elaborate, containing additional vegetables such as as well as aromatic spices in the pickling mix.

The salad has also been adopted into Thai cuisine, where it is called achat (, ). It is made with cucumber, red chilies, red onions or shallots, vinegar, sugar and salt. It is served as a side dish with the Thai version of satay ().

With Indian and Malay slaves initially brought by the British Empire, atchar became a favourite condiment in South Africa. The local variation is usually made with green mangoes.

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See also

• (Philippine cuisine)

Categories: Betawi Cuisine, Javanese Cuisine, Malay Cuisine, Indonesian Indian Cuisine, Peranakan Cuisine, Bruneian Cuisine, Dutch Fusion Cuisine, Malaysian Cuisine, Singaporean Cuisine, Thai Cuisine, Indonesian Pickles, Indonesian Condiments, Malaysian Condiments, Salads, Indonesian Salads, Vegetarian Dishes Of Indonesia, Vegetable Dishes Of Indonesia, Malay Words And Phrases, Indonesian Words And Phrases

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