Indonesian Pickled Vegetables (No Heat Required) | Easy & Fast Acar

Acar means pickled vegetables in Bahasa Indonesia and is pronounced as “A-char .”Acar can be found in many countries across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Recipes and flavors differ slightly between countries, but it’s mainly vegetables pickled in a brine mixture of water, vinegar, sugar and salt. 

This is MY version of Indonesian acar, the flavor I grew up eating from a young age. I’ve always enjoyed anything sweet and sour tasting, so if you do, I hope you’ll try this recipe!

Ingredients:

Here’s what you need and a few quick notes for some of them: 

• Water 
• White granulated sugar
• Salt 
• White vinegar 
• Carrot – make sure to dice extra thin so it can be pickled quickly.
• Cucumber – there’s no need to peel cucumber as the skin will give it a nice crunchy texture. Feel free to remove seeds if that’s your preference.

Additional Ingredients:

Here are other ingredients that you can add to the pickle brine:

• Thai Chili – adds a nice heat to the brine, especially for spice lovers.
• Red Onion – adds a nice heat without being overly spicy. 
• Raw Garlic – pickle whole so the flavor does not overpower the other ingredients.
• Daikon Radish – Slice or shred thinly for best results.
• Raw Long Beans – blanch (place in boiling water for 2-3 minutes before cooling in ice water) before pickling to cut the raw taste. 

Tips on How To Pickle Vegetables Quickly (Less than 12 hrs)

1. Boil the Brine 
   Boil water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a pot over high heat. Pour hot brine over vegetables and cover with an air-tight lid. Let it cool fully at room temperature, and move the fridge. The hot brine allows flavors to permeate the vegetables quickly, resulting in a shorter pickling time.

2. Slice Vegetables into Small and Thin Pieces. 
   Thinner vegetables mean less fiber for the flavors to get through and a shorter pickling time. If pickling tough/fibrous vegetables (carrots, daikon), I recommend using a Mandoline to shred into small, thin pieces for a faster pickling time.

How to Make It

1. Combine water, sugar, salt, and vinegar in a large bowl to make the brine.

2. Peel carrots and dice into thin quarter pieces. Dice cucumber into small but thicker quarters.

3. Add all vegetables to the brine and stir to combine. Transfer to an air-tight container/jar and cover with an air-tight lid. 

4. Leave in the fridge to pickle for at least 24-48 hours before serving!

What to serve it with

I eat acar with everything and anything! It’s usually served as a side dish to cut the greasiness of any main dish. Have it with fried chicken, curry or even a burger. I’m sure you’ll find many ways to enjoy it!

Storage

In an air-tight container, acar can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. The brine does an excellent job of preserving the vegetables and keeping them crunchy and delicious!