Monday, March 5, 2007

Special Atchara

I learned this recipe from our kusinero from years ago in San Carlos. We always have this on our dinner table. And so when I got married, I asked him to come over to demonstrate to me how to make this very special pickled papaya. It's such a great "pampagana", I guarantee you will want to share this recipe with others too! Sure, pass this along!

The pickling mixture:

1 cup very sour coconut vinegar (aged well)
½ cup Del Monte vinegar
1 tsp. salt
½ cup brown sugar
¼ to ½ cup white sugar (add the white sugar gradually according to your taste)
4 cups grated green papaya, dried by squeezing the juice/moisture out with a cheese cloth. Set aside.

2 carrots, grated or sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small ginger, cut into strips
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced

Boil pickling mixture in a pot, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let it cool. Combine with the other ingredients. Pack in sterilized jars and pour hot pickling mixture over the vegetables. Let cool at room temperature. Cover jars tightly and refrigerate.