Atchara or Pickled Papaya ( Green Papaya Relish)

        Hey Guys! I went to Bansalan yesterday, its some 70 something kilometers, and two hours away from Davao City to attend the wake of my husband's uncle. I saw and took pictures of a week-old calf and was able to bring home two freshly picked pineapples and two green papayas for Papaya Pickle or Atcharang Papaya. We also took some 6 pineapple crowns for planting tomorrow morning.

Atchara

        Atchara or Papaya Pickle is a ubiquitous Filipino salad and side dish, served usually with Tapsilog and Barbeque dishes. It nicely rounds up all salty and fatty dishes with its sweet-sour taste. Try making some for your next barbeque, you will most definitely be reaching for it every occasion you get . Though technically a pickle, this is not used like your cucumber pickle as ingredients for relishes or sandwiches, but served alongside rice and main dishes that are either fried or grilled.

        This relish appears from breakfast, all the way to dinner. From the sidewalk eateries to the classiest of restaurants, Atchara will remain to be the most popular of Filipino relishes.

INGREDIENTS:

Atchara ingredients

Green unripe papaya

Grated papaya

4 c. grated unripe papaya
1 carrot, sliced thinly
1 red bell pepper
2 red onions, sliced
3 T. salt
1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced
2 c vinegar ( Apple Cider or white coconut vinegar )
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2 tsp. salt


PROCEDURE:

1. Sprinkle 3 T salt on grated papaya, knead to extract the bitterness from the papain juices. Let stand 30 minutes to dehydrate the papaya.

the whole batch reacting with salt

2. Squeeze the juices from papaya, and discard. Rinse over a strainer under running water, kneading some more. Squeeze all the liquid from the papaya. Alternately, get a piece of cheesecloth and squeeze every cupful to remove the last traces of liquid. Or, you may also use the laundry spinner which does a mighty great job, too.

squeezed

3. In a pot, boil vinegar, sugar and 2 tsp salt until sugar is fully dissolved. Add the vegetables and let boil a little to cook vegetables. Turn off heat and remove from fire.

4. While still hot, arrange the atchara inside sterilized bottles. Seal and cool completely and store in the refrigerator. Some folks cure the atchara for 3 days to a week to develop its taste. Atchara that is at least 3 days old in the fridge tastes best. I made four bottles.

bottled atchara

a small serving

Serving suggestions:

Grilled chops with java rice, dipping sauce and atchara

Crispy pata and atchara, pinakurat and soy sauce

Lechon Kawali, lechon sauce and atchara

Chicken barbecue and Atchara

Grilled chops, java rice, Atchara

Pork Barbecue, java rice and Atchara

AND, just before I forget, the pictures of the week-old calf  with its mother and m

y take home pineapples.

calf and mom on a Bansalan farm