Atsara | Atchara (Pickled Green Papaya) Recipe

Estimated cooking time including preparation: 45 minutes

• 4 cups grated green papaya

• 1 tablespoon of rock salt

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 cups vinegar

• 2 carrots, finely sliced

• 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 1/2 big onion, sliced or 2-3 small whole onions

• 1 small yellow ginger, sliced finely

• 1/2 green pepper, sliced into strips

• 1/2 red pepper, sliced into strips

• 1 teasppon of pepper corns

• Sterilized glass jar/s

• With clean bare hands (or with gloves), mush the grated green papaya in salt for a few minutes.

• Let grated papaya soak in water for  one hour

• Place in cheese cloth (any clean piece of cloth will do) and squeeze all the juice out.

• Loosen out the squeezed papaya.

• In a casserole, bring vinegar to a boil then add sugar, rock salt and pepper corns. Simmer for two minutes.

• While simmering, add all the other ingredients: carrots, garlic, onion, ginger, green & red peppers and pepper corns. Boil for another minute and let cool.

• When syrup is at room temperature, add the grated green papaya.

• Place in glass jars, refrigerate and let the grated papaya soak in syrup for a day or two before serving.

• Clean & sterilized jars are important to preserve the atsara longer. An unsterilized jar can hasten bacterial & fungi growth and may spoil the Atsara quickly (instead of several weeks).

• An easy way to sterilize is to boil the glass in a pot or pan of boiling water for 10 minutes. Place upright with the lid facing up & carefully remove with a thong without touching.

Atchara is a traditional Filipino condiment made from pickled green papaya. It often includes carrots, bell peppers, and sometimes raisins, giving it a crisp texture and a sweet and tangy flavor. This relish is commonly served alongside grilled or fried foods, as it provides a refreshing contrast to the richness of the meats.