Atchara


Atchara is a pickle made from grated unripe papaya originating from the Philippines. This dish is often served as a side dish for fried or grilled foods like pork barbecue.

History

The name atchara originated from the Indian achar, which was transmitted to the Philippines via acar of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Preparation

The primary ingredient is grated unripe papaya. Carrot slices, julienned ginger, bell pepper, onion, and garlic are the other vegetables in the ingredients. Raisins or pineapple chunks may be added and chilis, freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, or whole peppercorns complete the mixture. Then it is mixed in a solution of vinegar, sugar/syrup, and salt preserves.
The mixture is placed in airtight jars where it will keep without refrigeration; however once opened, it is preferably kept chilled to maintain its flavor.

Variants

  • Atcharang maasim - prepared in the same way as normal atchara except that no sugar is added.
  • Atcharang labóng - are prepared in the same way as atchara, but use bamboo shoots instead of papaya.
  • Atcharang dampalit - made from Sesuvium portulacastrum, called dampalit in Tagalog.
  • Atcharang ubod - made from palm hearts, called ubod in Tagalog.
  • Atcharang sayote - made from chayote, bell pepper, carrots, and ginger.