Malay Pickle (Malay Achcharuwa)

My Dad loved pickles and chutneys, so my Mum never forgot to make them at home – we never bought bottles of ready-made stuff. I always helped her make them, and I still remember all the tastes and the flavours. So now you can try my own recipe for the coming Singhalese New Year.

INGREDIENTS
150g carrots (peeled and cut into strips)
150g green capsicum – malu miris (seeded and cut into thick slices)
1 red capsicum (seeded and cut)
100g red shallots (cut in half)
100g big onion ( cut into wedges)
100g dates (seeded and coarsely chopped)
1 cup coconut vinegar or white vinegar
1 tbs garlic paste
1 tbs ginger paste
1 tbs black mustard paste
1 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2. tsp black pepper powder
Salt

METHOD

Heat the vinegar in a pan and let it simmer.  Add capsicum and cook for 3 minutes. Remove, and then do the same with the onion. Remove the pan from heat,  mix all the other ingredients (except for the vegetables and dates) into the vinegar (adding more vinegar if necessary). Check the seasoning. Add the dates, carrots, onions and capsicums into the pickle mixture, transfer to a bottle or a terracotta dish. For best results, make two days ahead before using.

Malay pickle is an authentic dish from the Malay community in Sri Lanka, which Sri Lankans have taken to their hearts and use on every special occasion.