Sarawak Pickled Cucumber / Acar

Sarawak Acar is pickle preserved in vinegar & sugar for days, weeks or even months before it is served. It is also different from West Malaysia's Acar and Singapore Acar. the pickles are sweet and sour and full of turmeric and other spices flavour. It is typical a not-to-missed item during Chinese New Year and it is always eaten together with the 'keropok' (prawn / fish crackers).

Ingredients:
500g cucumbers
200g carrots
3 big chilies
2tbsp dried shrimps, soaked & pounded to floss-like
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
1/4 cup of cooking oil
1/4 cup of white sugar
1tbsp salk
1tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1tbsp of toasted belachan powder (fermented shrimp paste)

For spice paste:
12 shallots
13garlic clove
4cm ginger
5 candlenuts
1tbsp turmeric powder 
1/2 tbsp chilies powder (optional)


 Methods:
1. Halve the cucumber & remove the seeds, slice the cucumber into bite matchstick bite size, approx. 5cm length.
2. Slice the carrot the same way as cucumber.
3. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of sea salt over the cucumbers & carrots, leave them for 30 mins to sweat. Drain the water out from cucumbers & carrots by squeezing them dry. Dry theam further under the hot sun for 2 hours or in the fridge for 4 hours.
4.  Cut the big chilies into long tiny stripe about the same size as the cucumber stripe and set aside.
5.  Blend or pound the ingredients for spice paste until fine.
6. In a wok or frying pan, add the oil & toast dried shrimp until fragrant, add in belachan and toast for while. Transfer the blended spices to the oil and sauté the spices under medium heat until fragrant & the oils separated. Let the spice past cool down.
7. In a large bowl, mix in all the cut vegetable, spice paste, sesame seeds, sugar and vinegar until evenly mixed.
8. In a sterilized glass jar, fill the mixture and top it with vinegar. Close the lid and let it rest for 1-2 days before eating. The acar could be kept for weeks in fridge for later consumption.