Atchara (Pickled Green Papaya)
“Sweet, sour and salty atchara made with green papaya and other healthy vegetables. A perfect side dish for your grilled and fried fish or meat.”
I love having atchara on the side when our “ulam” is fried or grilled fish because it removes any unpleasant after taste. It somehow cleanses your tongues so it will be ready for the next bite. Just my personal opinion, hahaha.
This recipe has the right amount of tanginess, sweetness and saltiness. Believe me, you can finish a bottle with just a few seating.
What is Atchara or Atsara
Atchara is a traditional condiment or side dish made of grated green papaya, carrots and bell peppers. The sweet-sour tang of gingered pickle syrup, mixed with the crunch of green papaya, makes for a very refreshing addition to a variety of cuisines.
It is often served during together with fried or barbecued meats or seafoods.
How to make atchara
The preparation is quite easy especially if you are using a food processor.
It takes me just a few minutes to grate the papaya and carrots. But, if you don’t have a food processor, you can use the manual grater which works just fine.
To prepare the atchara, peel and grate the papaya and carrots. Sprinkle salt into the grated papaya and set aside to hydrate.
While waiting for the papaya to be ready, pour vinegar in a sauce pan and let it boil. Combine sugar and salt and mix until completely dissolved. Add the ginger, onion, garlic and peppercorns. Set aside to cool.
After 1-2 hours, rinse the papaya and squeeze out the liquids using a cheesecloth or any cloth. Place in a large bowl and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
Place in an airtight, nonreactive containers like stainless steel, glass, and enameled cast iron. Refrigerate for about 5-7 days to achieve the full flavor then it’s ready.
The best atchara for me
I have tasted many atsara before and some of them are good. Some were probably used large amount of vinegar that it overpowers the whole dish. Personally, this atchara is by far the best I’ve tasted and really liked a lot.
The right balance of sourness and sweetness lies in the fermenting juice which is crucial to this pickled side dish. I find that 1 cup vinegar and ½ of pineapple juice to 1 cup sugar is just enough.
Pineapple juice balances the sourness of vinegar but has also a natural sweetness, which is why it’s a perfect addition to the atchara.
This recipe has mild taste of tanginess, sweetness and saltiness that I looked for in an atchara.
How to serve Atchara
This sweet and sour appetizer goes well with fried foods like daing na bangus, crispy pata, lechon kawali, longganisa, tocino, and many more. It’s also a good accompaniment for grilled seafood and meat barbecue.
Give life to your dull dish with this atchara recipe and you will enjoy every bit of it.
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and tell me how you liked it in the comments section below; I love hearing from you! Happy tummy!
Atchara (Pickled Green Papaya) Recipe
Equipment
- food processor (grater attachment) or manual grater
- Mixing Bowl
- Grater
- Chopping board & knife
- sauce pan or deep pan and wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 large(about 500grams when peeled) green papaya, grated
- ¼ cup salt — for rehydrating the papaya
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ teaspoons salt —- for brining
- 1 thumb-size ginger, cut into strips
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorn
- 1 large carrots, grated
- 1 small green bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
- ¼ cup raisins
- ½ cup pineapple tidbits
- ½ cup pineapple juice (from canned tidbits)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, put the grated papaya and sprinkle with 1/4 cup salt. Mix until fully incorporated. Set aside for 1-2 hours or until papaya starts to release its juice.
- In a medium pan, pour vinegar and allow to boil.
- Add sugar and salt and stir until completely dissolved.
- Combine the ginger, onion, garlic, and peppercorns. Simmer and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool down to room temperature.
- Rinse and drain papaya using a colander.
- Using a cheesecloth (or any cloth), put the rinsed papaya inside the cloth and squeeze out the liquid. Place squeezed papaya in a large bowl.
- Combine the grated carrot, bell pepper strips, raisins, pineapple tidbits, pineapple juice and the spiced vinegar mixture. Mix well to fully combine.
- Store in a sterilized non-reactive container and seal well.
- Refrigerate for 5-7days to achieve full texture and flavor. It can last up to 6 months in the fridge.
- Serve as side dish to your grilled and fried foods.
- Share and enjoy!
Video
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