Acar

{{Infobox food

| name = Acar

| image = Acar mentimun.jpg

| caption = Acar made of cucumber, carrot and shallot bits in vinegar

| alternate_name = Atjar (Dutch)

| region = Indonesia,{{Cite journal|author1=Gina Salsabila|title=Cabai: Pengaruh Portugis yang Dicintai hingga Kini |url=https://www.academia.edu/41568989}}{{cite web| title=Acar|publisher=Taste Atlas|url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/acar|access-date=4 October 2020}}{{Cite journal|author1=Febri Ramadhan Arifiansyah|title=Perancangan Museum Kuliner Nusantara di Kota Batu Jawa Timur|url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/154376148.pdf}} Brunei, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa and Thailand

| national_cuisine =

| creator =

| course = Side dish

| type = Condiment and salad

| served =

| main_ingredient = Vegetables (cucumber, carrots, cabbage), shallot, bird's eye chili and yardlong beans, vinegar, dried chillies, pineapples

| variations =

| calories =

| other =

}}

Acar is a type of vegetable pickle of Maritime Southeast Asia, most prevalent in Indonesia,{{cite web|title=Acar – Indonesian Pickle|author=Anita|publisher=Daily Cooking Quest|url=http://dailycookingquest.com/by-category/side-dish/acar-indonesian-pickle|language=id|access-date=9 February 2015|archive-date=9 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209101303/http://dailycookingquest.com/by-category/side-dish/acar-indonesian-pickle|url-status=dead}} Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It is a localised version of Indian achar.Hoogervorst, Tom (Dec 2018). "[https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/itinerario/article/sailors-tailors-cooks-and-crooks-on-loanwords-and-neglected-lives-in-indian-ocean-ports/442E3D4F7E58EFBB54C935A8064D2F92 Sailors, Tailors, Cooks, and Crooks: On Loanwords and Neglected Lives in Indian Ocean Ports]". Itinerario. Research Institute for History, Leiden University. 42 (3): 533. doi: 10.1017/S0165115318000645 It is known as atjar in Dutch cuisine, derived from Indonesian acar.{{cite web| title=Acar Recipe (Indonesian Pickle)|first=Pepy|last=Nasution|publisher=Indonesia Eats |url=http://indonesiaeats.com/acar-atjar-achar-indonesian-pickle/|access-date=9 February 2015}} Acar is usually prepared in bulk as it may easily be stored in a well-sealed glass jar in refrigerator for a week, and served as a condiment for any meals.{{cite book| title=Authentic Recipes from Indonesia|first=Lother|last=Arsana|publisher=Tuttle Publishing |year=2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pw3RAgAAQBAJ|pages=31–32|isbn=9781462905355|access-date=9 February 2015}}

History

{{main | Pickling#History | label 1 = History of pickling and its transmission | South Asian pickle}}

Pickling originated in India around 2400 BCE,{{cite web|url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-humble-indian-pickle/|title=A Brief History Of The Humble Indian Pickle|date=20 July 2016 |publisher=theculturetrip.com|access-date=28 November 2016}} and with expansion of Indian cultural influence on Greater India,{{cite book|author=Kenneth R. Hal|title=Maritime Trade and State Development in Early Southeast Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ncqGAAAAIAAJ&q=funan+mountain+kings|year=1985|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|isbn=978-0-8248-0843-3|page=63}} through transmission of Hinduism{{cite encyclopedia | title = The spread of Hinduism in Southeast Asia and the Pacific | encyclopedia = Britannica | date = 2 September 2024 | url = https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism/The-spread-of-Hinduism-in-Southeast-Asia-and-the-Pacific}} leading to Indianisation, and the formation of native Southeast Asian kingdoms{{citation |first=Pierre-Yves |last=Manguin |chapter=From Funan to Sriwijaya: Cultural continuities and discontinuities in the Early Historical maritime states of Southeast Asia |title=25 tahun kerjasama Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi dan Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient |location=Jakarta |publisher=Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi / EFEO |year=2002 |pages=59–82 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NJBwAAAAMAAJ}} which adopted many Indian cultural elements, including food processing techniques.

File:Various kinds of pickles for sale at a shop in Dakshineswar, Kolkata, India.jpg, West Bengal.]]

Through examining the etymology, the similar sounding name strongly suggests that indeed acar was derived from the Indian achar pickle. Indian achar was transmitted in antiquity to the maritime realm of Southeast Asia, which today is recognized as acar in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, and then on to the Philippines as atchara. The adoption of this vegetable pickling technique possibly took place during the Srivijaya period between 7th to 13th century.

British navigator Thomas Forrest wrote that acar made of salted limes and palm vinegar were often of use to Coromandel Muslim sailors (Chulias) to prevent scurvy and were sold as far as Aceh.{{cite book |last=Forrest |first=Thomas |title=A Voyage From Calcutta To The Mergui Archipelago, Lying On The East Side Of The Bay Of Bengal; Describing a Chain of Islands, never before surveyed |date=1792 |publisher=Robson |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/ForrestVoyageCalcutta1792/page/n81/mode/2up?q=atchar|pages=39–40}}

Ingredients

File:Acar and chili sauce.jpg, the common condiments in Indonesia.]]

The Southeast Asian variations are usually made from different vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, cabbage, shallot, bird's eye chili and yardlong beans, which are pickled in vinegar, sometimes with kaffir lime to add citrus aroma, and also dried chillies. Some recipes might have the vegetables tossed in ground peanuts. Acar is commonly served as a condiment to be eaten with a main course, such as martabak, nasi goreng (fried rice), satay, and almost all varieties of soto. Just like common pickles, the sour taste of acar is meant to freshen up a meal, especially fishy dishes such as ikan bakar (grilled fish) or rich and oily dishes such as mutton satay to neutralize the fat.

Regional cuisines

In Indonesia, acar is commonly made from small chunks of cucumber, carrot, shallot, bird's eye chili and occasionally pineapple, and marinated in a sweet and sour solution of sugar and vinegar. Some households add lemongrass or ginger to spice it up.{{cite web|title=Acar – Indonesian Pickle Ingredients|url=https://www.nytimes.com/recipes/2800/acar-cucumber-pickles.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=2 June 2014}} It is usually used as condiment to accompany grilled foods such as satay. Nevertheless, acar can also be consumed as a whole, complete dish. For example, ikan acar kuning is a fish dish (gourami, mackerel or tilapia) served in acar pickles of cucumber, carrot, shallot and red chili, mixed with yellow spice paste made of ground turmeric, candlenut, ginger, garlic and shallot.{{cite web|title=Ikan Nila Acar Kuning|first=Farah|last=Quinn|url=http://www.farahquinn.com/recipe/ikan-nila-acar-kuning/|language=id|access-date=9 February 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150210042248/http://www.farahquinn.com/recipe/ikan-nila-acar-kuning/|archive-date=10 February 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} It is known as atjar (pickle) in Dutch cuisine, derived from Indonesian acar, since the Netherlands and Indonesia share colonial ties.

Variations of Malaysian and Singaporean acar include acar awak or Nyonya acar and Malay acar. Acar awak is more elaborate, containing additional vegetables such as eggplants as well as aromatic spices in the pickling mix.

The salad has also been adopted into Thai cuisine, where it is called achat ({{langx|th|อาจาด}}, {{IPA|th|ʔāː.t͡ɕàːt|pron}}). It is made with cucumber, red chilies, red onions or shallots, vinegar, sugar and salt. It is served as a side dish with the Thai version of satay ({{langx|th|สะเต๊ะ}}).

With Indian and Malay slaves initially brought by the British Empire, atchar became a favourite condiment in South Africa. The local variation is usually made with green mangoes.