Pineapple and Cucumber Pickle/Jelatah Nenas Dan Timun 啊杂

Yes, this is a very easy recipe to prepare but I can assure you it packs a punch. It is sweet and and sour in taste but at the same time hot and spicy to the palate. Whenever I buy rice from a Malay stall, I will automatically look for this dish. This pineapple and cucumber pickle dish goes really well as a side to heavy and rich mains such as curry or nasi briyani. It complements these dishes and give it that perfect balance. Some also call this pineapple and cucumber pickle acar or pencuk. They are all the same.

The norm to making this pineapple and cucumber pickle would be to dump everything in, mix and let it sit. However, I like to make a solution first before adding in the ingredients. This way, I could get the correct combination before I add in the ingredients. I also use salt to marinade the ingredients before adding the solution. This would give the vegetables or fruits that extra crunch and taste. This solution can also be used to pickle other fruits or vegetables such as mangoes, papayas or even cabbage. Don't be afraid to add more sugar or vinegar to taste.

Pineapple and Cucumber Pickle/Jelatah Nenas Dan Timun 啊杂

Ingredients

2 medium sized cucumber, remove seed and skin and cut into 2 in strips
1/2 pineapple, remove skin and cut into wedges and then sliced
4-5 bird's eye chilli, sliced
1 red chilli, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 litre boiled water (room temperature)

Pickle Solution

75 ml boiled water
150 g sugar
60g vinegar
1 tsp salt

Cooking Instruction

1. Remove skin and de-seed cucumber. Cut into strips of 2 inches long. Cut pineapple into wedges and then slice into thin slices of about 1/2 cm. Slice red chilli and bird's eye chilli. Julienne onion.

2. Wash all ingredients and marinade in salt for 10-15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare pickle solution. Mix all ingredients in pickle solution and stir until sugar dissolves. Let cool.

4. Wash off the salt from the pineapple and cucumber with cooled boiled water. Drain or wipe dry with kitchen towel. Add the ingredients into pickle solution. Mix and set aside for one hour before serving. You can add more vinegar, sugar or water to taste. Serve as a side.


Note:
Normally this dish is not meant to be stored. By using my method of preparation, you can preserve this acar in a sterilised jar and it could last for weeks.