Cookbook:Mixed Pickled Vegetables (Acar Campur)

| Cuisine of Indonesia

Acar campur is a very simple Indonesian pickle salad. Here is one example, of which there are many variations, some of which depend on what items are in season.

Ingredients

 * 1 fresh red pepper, seeded and sliced
 * 1 medium onions, quartered
 * 2 cloves garlic, crushed
 * ½-inch cube terasi (shrimp paste)
 * 4 macadamia nuts or 8 almonds
 * 1-inch piece of fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
 * ¼ cup corn, sunflower, or olive oil
 * 2 cups white vinegar
 * 1 cup water
 * ¼ cup white sugar
 * 3 medium carrots
 * 1 small cauliflower
 * 1 medium cucumber
 * 1 cup white cabbage
 * 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
 * 1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Procedure

 * 1) Place the pepper, onion, garlic, shrimp paste, nuts, and turmeric in a food processor. Blend to a paste-like consistency.
 * 2) Heat the processed paste mixture in the oil for 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, while preparing vegetables.
 * 3) Cut carrots into desired bite-sized shapes. Cut green beans into short, even lengths. Separate cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Peel seeded cucumber and cut into bite-sized cubes. Cut cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
 * 4) Blanch each vegetable separately in boiling water for 1 minute. Rinse in cold water to halt the cooking. Drain well.
 * 5) Add the vegetables to the boiled paste sauce. Gradually bring the entire mixture to a boil. Cook for 5–10 minutes. Do not overcook—the vegetables should still be crunchy.
 * 6) Remove from heat. Add the peanuts to the mixture and cool.
 * 7) Once cool, cover and chill for at least 3 days before serving.

Notes, tips and variations

 * Indonesian pickles tend to include a variety of shredded vegetables and spices, including the following:
 * Carrot
 * Cauliflower
 * Cucumber
 * Baby corn
 * Bean sprouts
 * Chili pepper
 * Ginger
 * Black pepper
 * Hazelnut
 * Pistachio
 * Pecan