Cucumber atjar

An atjar is an Indonesian vegetable pickle. Unlike sambal, which is a ground chilli sauce, an atjar is made of vegetables as the base. They come in an almost infinite variety, made from different vegetables, from mild to spicy, and with or without shrimp paste and fish sauce. They are an integral part of any Indonesian table, and usually, a few varieties are present, adding a pop of flavour and spice.

This atjar is very simple and mild. It is perfect on any table, especially when you have heavily greasy or fried foods. The freshness of the atjar cuts the grease well and freshens the palate. I served it with Mushroom fritters where it paired perfectly.

This is a book I use for all kinds of sauces and salsas. This book has a wealth of recipes from around the globe. This is a very specialized cookbook filled with amazing recipes. This satay sauce, which I absolutely love, is an example of how wonderful the recipes are.

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1 heaped tablespoon cilantro, minced

1 heaped tablespoon mint, minced

1 large cucumber, cut into fine batons

1 shallot, minced

Juice of 1 lime

Salt, to taste

Mix all the ingredients and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour. I tend to make this atjar the night before so the vegetables have time to pickle lightly in the lime juice.