Acar is a loosely translated for pickle in Indonesian (bahasa Indonesia). I believe the word is absorbed from India; Achaar. Indonesian Acar should be sweet, tangy and refreshing.  Unlike Indian Achaar which is very heavy with spices. Indonesian Acar is quite simple. It usually includes a mix of water, vinegar, sugar and salt.

Acar Bawang Merah (Shallot Pickle) is another side dish that Indonesians enjoy to company mie (noodles), martabak (stuffed pastry), nasi goreng (fried rice) and many others.

However, most Indonesians don’t do a canning process for pickles to have a longer shelf-life as most people do in 4 season countries.  We usually make whenever we need or want to eat. Seasons for growing is all year long so no need to stock up for winter.

To make my acar at home, I prefer to use a natural source of vinegar such as cuka lahang (Canesugar Vinegar) or cuka aren (Nypa Sap Vinegar).  If you do try this recipe, please tag me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.  And most importantly, let me know what you think! Terima Kasih, Thank You, Bedankt!

Acar Bawang Merah: Indonesian Shallot Pickle

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Acar is a loose translation for pickle in Indonesian (bahasa Indonesia). I believe the word is absorbed from India; Achaar. Indonesian Acar should be sweet, tangy and refreshing.

Unlike Indian Achaar which is very heavy with spices. Indonesian Acar is quite simple. It usually includes a mix of water, vinegar, sugar and salt.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 150 grams (4.4 oz) shallots
• 50 grams (1.76 oz) green bird's eyes chilies or Thai chili peppers (optional)
• 250 mL (1 cup) water
• 45 grams canesugar
• 5 teaspoon canesugar vinegar (Indonesian: cuka lahang)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse seasalt

Instructions

1. Peel and rinse off shallots to remove the skins, grit and dirt. Drain.
2. Prepare a clean glass jar.
3. Slice about 1/2-centimetre (1/4- inch) thickness.
4. Combine slices of shallot, green bird's eyes chilies and coarse sesalt in a clean glass jar.
5. Bring water to a boil and dissolve sugar in. Mix in cuka lahang.
6. Let the pickling solution to cool slightly.
7. Once it's cool, pour in the solution to the glass jar.
8. Set aside until it reaches room temperature about 2 hours. Transfer to a fridge. Ready to consume. Consuming an overnight acar is best. Consumed within 1 month.