Nonya Achar

Ingredients

1. 3 tbsps Rempah (Recipe available here)
2. 1 cup white rice vinegar
3. 1½ cups water
4. 2 cups sugar (400 g)
5. For blanching
6. 2 cups white rice vinegar
7. 2 cups water
8. 1 tbsp sugar
9. 1 tbsp salt
10. 150g carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into thin batons
11. 300g cabbage, cut into large bite size pieces
12. 150g turnip, cut into thin slices
13. Half pineapple, cut into slices
14. 3 cucumbers, trimmed and cut into batons
15. 3 tbsp salt
16. 200 g peanuts, roasted, skin removed and coarsely chopped
17. 3 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted

Method

Preparing the sauce

1. Scoop rempah into a pot and heat over medium heat till fragrant and colour darkens, about 10 minutes.
2. Add vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Bring to a gentle boil.
3. Simmer gently for 1 minute, covered. Turn off heat. Uncover and leave till cool.
4. While cooking the sauce, you may taste it and add more of whichever condiments you think is required. No hard and fast rules.

Preparing the vegetables

1. Bring ingredients for blanching to a rapid boil.
2. Briefly blanch carrots and cabbage in batches. After blanching each batch, liquid should come back to a boil.
3. Spread out vegetables to cool on large trays.
4. Sprinkle cucumber with salt. Mix well.
5. Leave to sweat for 30 minutes.
6. Rinse and pat dry with kitchen towels.

Bringing all ingredients together

1. In a bowl, mix everything except one third of peanuts and sesame seeds.
2. Marinade should cover around 70% of vegetables as the vegetables will release more water into the mixture.