Snacks and Sides
Authentic Singaporean Achar Awak Recipe
Achar Awak is the quintessential Singaporean pickle, offering a vibrant explosion of tangy, spicy, and nutty flavors. This home-cooked version uses a hand-pounded rempah to coat crisp cucumbers, carrots, and cabbage, making it the perfect side dish for Nasi Lemak or Peranakan feasts.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 125 kcal
Method
Toss the julienned cucumbers with a tablespoon of salt and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse and squeeze dry using a muslin cloth or paper towels.
Prepare the blanching liquid by boiling 500ml of water with 120ml of rice vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Briefly blanch the carrots, cabbage, and cauliflower (if using) for 30 seconds each. Drain and spread them out on a tray to air dry or pat them extremely dry.
Blend the dried chilies, shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, and toasted belacan into a smooth rempah paste.
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a wok and fry the rempah over medium heat until the oil separates (pecah minyak) and the paste darkens.
Season the paste with sugar, salt, and a splash of vinegar to taste. It should be distinctly sweet, sour, and spicy. Remove from heat and let the paste cool completely.
Once the paste is cool, toss in all the dried vegetables until they are thoroughly coated.
Stir in the crushed roasted peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.
Transfer to a clean glass jar. While it can be eaten immediately, the flavors improve significantly if left in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
Notes
The secret to a crunchy Achar is ensuring the vegetables are as dry as possible before mixing with the rempah.
Always let the fried spice paste cool completely before adding the vegetables, otherwise the heat will soften the vegetables and make them soggy.
If you have time, sun-dry the blanched vegetables for 2 hours for the most authentic texture.
Adjust the amount of sugar carefully; Achar Awak is traditionally sweeter than other pickles to balance the heat of the rempah.
