Acar Timun (Indonesian Pickled Cucumber)
Acar Timun is an easy 15-minute Indonesian pickle with cucumber, carrot, shallot, and bird’s eye chilis. It is sweet, tangy, and crunchy. Serve this as a side dish and it will perk up any dishes.
Some Indonesian foods can be heavy. So, sometimes you can see this Acar Timun served as a side dish on the table. It is refreshing, sweet, tangy, and crunchy. It is a great palate cleanser to neutralize the strong flavor and oily foods.
The recipe is so easy and quick to make with just a few ingredients only. It does not require fancy tools and this recipe will make a good introduction to those new to pickling anything.
What is Acar Timun?
Acar is a type of vegetable pickle while timun literally means” cucumber”. It is commonly made from small chunks of cucumber, carot, shallot, bird’s eye chili and marinated in a sweet and sour solution of sugar and vinegar.
Acar is also known as “atjar” in Dutch cuisine, derived from Indonesian acar. It is usually prepared in bulk as it may easily be stored in a well-sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for a week and served as a condiment or side dish for any meal.
Foods Served with Acar Timun
Acar Timun is usually served as a side dish together with these dishes:
- Nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice)
- Mi goreng (Indonesian stir-fried noodles)
- Sate (Satay)
- Martabak telur (Stuffed pancakes with beef and eggs)
- Soto (Indonesian soup)
- Deep fry foods
Ingredients You Need
- Cucumber – Make sure to remove the seeds in the cucumber.
- Carrot – Add crunchiness.
- Shallot – Add richness and sharpness to acar.
- Bird’s eye chilis – Adding chilis is completely optional. You can omit them or add more if you prefer. You can use either green or red bird’s eye chilis in this recipe. Green chilis are unripe and they have a sharper, snappier, more biting heat to them. Meanwhile, the red chilis are fully ripened and have a mellower, more lasting heat to them.
- Salt – It prevents the growth of any microorganisms and withdraws water from the vegetables.
- Sugar – To balance the tartness of the vinegar.
- White vinegar – It acts as a preservative and adds tartness to the pickle.
This recipe is versatile and you can add more or fewer ingredients as you prefer.
How to Make
- Prepare the cucumbers, carrot, and shallots. Cut them into small cubes and make sure they are the same size. If using bird’s eye chilis, remove the stems. Mix all the vegetables and transfer them into an airtight glass container.
- Make the brine by mixing hot water with salt, sugar, and white vinegar until well combined.
- Pour the brine into the glass container until the vegetables are fully submerged.
- Keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 day to develop the flavor.
Storage
Store Acar Timun in an airtight glass container in the fridge. An unopened jar stays fresh for up to 2 months and once opened, it is better to enjoy it within 1 week.
Acar Timun (Indonesian Pickled Cucumber)
Ingredients
- 1 carrot, peeled
- 2 cucumbers
- 5 shallots, or more
- 8 bird’s eye chilis, or more, optional
Brine
- 1 cup (240 ml) hot water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables – Slice each cucumber into 4 elongated slices and remove the seeds. Cut the cucumbers, carrot, and shallots into same-sized small cubes. Remove the stem of the chilis.
- Mix vegetables – Mix the carrot, cucumber, and shallot cubes along with the chilis. Transfer them into a clean airtight glass container. Set aside.
- Make brine – In a medium bowl, combine hot water, salt, granulated sugar, and white vinegar until combined.
- Pour the brine into the glass container until the vegetables are fully submerged.
- Rest – Keep in the refrigerator once the brine has cooled completely. Rest for 1-2 days for the flavor to develop.
