Acar Timun

When I first tried this particular type of Acar Timun many many years ago in Penang, I was so taken by it that I would purposely drive all the way to buy it from that stall inside the Pulau Tikus market early in the morning before it gets sold out.

As the years went by, the couple selling it grew older and older and finally, came the day when they were no longer selling it anymore.

Now, there is still another person selling it outside the market, but I still preferred the one inside (and besides, there will come a time when she too will no longer sell it).

None of my friends or family knew the recipe... I searched high and low in all the Nyonya Cookbooks I could get my hands on over the years.

One day, while browsing at some old cookbooks at a flea market in Petaling Jaya, I came across an old recipe book that someone had discarded for sale.

Turning the pages... my excitement grew as I realised that I had finally found the recipe that I had been wanting for sooooo long!

Still not believing that it was that particular Acar Timun that I liked, I tried out the recipe... and .... happiness.... it was! Hurray!

So now, let me share it lest it disappears for good.... It is fairly simple, but time-consuming and in this day and age of  "not enough time to do so many things", one has to take time off to prepare it.

Lots of cutting... be prepared to get your fingers cramped up and hopefully, not sliced accidentally!

Also, since most of us now live in high rise apartments or such, we do not have the privilege of getting enough "Sun" to dry out the vegetables.... hmmmm..

First, to prepare the cucumbers....

8 large cucumbers
3 tsp salt

Discard centre pulp and cut cucumbers into strips of 1 1/2 inches lengthwise.
Mix in salt thoroughly.
Sun dry till all excess water is drained off.
Transfer to casserole.

After that, prepare the Marinades (2 kinds)

1. Turmeric Oil

115ml coconut oil
90g old turmeric roots (sliced thinly)
10 cloves garlic (pounded)

Fry the sliced turmeric roots in oil till oil is bright yellow and residue dark brown.
Discard the roots.
Add the pounded garlic and fry till golden brown. Set aside to cool.

2. Vinegar Marinade

60g ginger (shredded)
10 cloves garlic (sliced)
4 fresh red chilis
4 fresh green chilis (chilis to remove seeds but keep whole)

All the above to be SUN DRIED.

225ml rice vinegar
6 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Boil the vinegar, add the sugar and salt and allow to cool.
Add the ginger, garlic and chilis to the cooled vinegar.

Pour Marinades 1 and 2 over cucumber until fully immersed. The recipe also calls for some fried sesame seeds for garnishing (but personally, I don't like sesame seeds, and so I omit it as they tend to get into the spaces between your teeth!)

Keep 1 to 2 days before serving.

I hope that you will enjoy this as much as I do, making it and eating it!