Atchara (Green Papaya Relish)

Posted byNoriePosted inAppetizers, Pickles, Ferments, Complements, Recipe, Side dishesTags:,

I think “atchara” means pickled relish but the main ingredient is the green papaya and not cucumbers. 

This is another use that I thought of for the papayas I have.  I remember this is not a simple task because I had seen my Aunt Choleng make it and helped in making it when I was growing up.  She made me grate the papaya.  But I will be patient or use the modern kitchen tools that make strenuous and time consuming jobs a whole lot simpler and faster.

I would not recommend making this because this can be found bottled at the Asian markets already made.  Even if green papayas can be found and bought, I don’t think it is worth the effort unless you are a bored stay-at-home mom or dad, or a bored retiree who is looking for something to do who just loves to cook and who is adventurous and wants to try something new.

The papayas have to be very green, no signs of ripening or yellowing of the skin or the meat.  They need to be greenish white and the seeds need to still be very small and white.  We begin by peeling the papaya or papayas, depending on the size you have.  Watch out for the white milky sap that wil ooze out from the injured skin.  It will stain clothes and hands if allowed to dry and they start to gel in a few seconds like glue.  Cut in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds off.  Grate with the finest in a four sided grater or use a food processor if your grating attachment is fine enough. Put it in a large bowl and add about ¼ cup of canning salt.  Mix to distribute the salt evenly then let stand for a few minutes while you slice the other ingredients.  The salt should have already extracted some of the liquid out of the papaya by the time you finish cutting the other veggies out.  Press and squeeze by a handful and put it into another bowl or a colander.  Then rinse well.  Repeat pressing and squeezing most of the liquid out. If necessary, use a cheesecloth to do this.  The idea is to remove and extract most of the sap out of the papaya which may be bitter and also to remove most of the liquid as well as you can which will be replaced by the pickling juice.  The result will be a smaller batch than when you started and will look dry.

The ingredients are:

4 cups grated green papaya (3 or 4 small green papayas) then squeezed as shown.

Mix together with the squeezed papaya:

  • About ¼ c carrot sticks or 1 carrot cut crosswise in florets
  • 3 large cloves garlic sliced thinly crosswise
  • 2 shallots sliced thin in rings (onions will do but will be milder)
  • 1 ½” ginger root, skinned and cut in fine sticks

  • ½ of a red bell pepper, julliened thin
  • ½ of a green bell pepper, julliened thin
  • 1 hot jalapeno or any hot pepper sliced in rings and seeded
  • 1 small box raisins

Heat in a saucepot until sugar is dissolved:

  • 1 c vinegar
  • 1 c water
  • 1 c sugar
  • 2 tsp. salt

Pack the papaya mixture in jars then pour the hot vinegar solution in the jars leaving ½ “ headspace.  Remove trapped bubbles in the jar by sliding a non metallic spatula between the jar and the papaya mixture pressing on the papaya.  Repeat a few times around then close the lids.  Allow to cool then keep in the refrigerator.