Acar (Cucumber Pickles)

Name: Acar (Cucumber Pickles)
Yield: 2 quarts, liquid included
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups water; ¾ cup white vinegar; 5 tablespoons sugar; Salt to taste, if desired; 3 dried hot red peppers; 2 large whole cloves garlic, peeled; 2 whole pieces dried turmeric, or ¼ teaspoon powdered turmeric; 6 thin slices fresh ginger; ¾ pound fresh cucumbers, trimmed and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds; 1 medium-size sweet red pepper, about 6 ounces, cored and deveined; 1 medium-size sweet yellow pepper, about 6 ounces, cored and deveined; 1 small red onion, about ¼ pound, peeled

By Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey

Updated August 15, 2023

Total Time: 20 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration
Rating: 4(13)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: FOOD; AN EXOTIC BUFFET

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share this recipe
Print this recipe
Include recipe photo
or to print this recipe.

Ingredients

Yield:About two quarts, liquid included

2 ½ cups water
¾ cup white vinegar
5 tablespoons sugar
Salt to taste, if desired
3 dried hot red peppers
2 large whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 whole pieces dried turmeric, or ¼ teaspoon powdered turmeric
6 thin slices fresh ginger
¾ pound fresh cucumbers, trimmed and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
1 medium-size sweet red pepper, about 6 ounces, cored and deveined
1 medium-size sweet yellow pepper, about 6 ounces, cored and deveined
1 small red onion, about ¼ pound, peeled

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, hot red peppers, garlic, turmeric and ginger. Bring to the boil and let simmer 10 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber rounds and put them in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Cut the red and yellow peppers and onion into one-inch squares and add them to the bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over all. Seal tightly. Let stand until cool and refrigerate overnight or longer. These pickles must be made 24 hours in advance.

Tip

Almost any cucumbers may be used for this dish. Ideally, they should be the long, slender Japanese variety available in Asian markets. Kirby or standard cucumbers may be used. It is advisable, however, not to use the hot-house, so-called ''burpless'' or ''gourmet'' cucumbers.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.