acar ketimun - atjar ketimoen - cucumber pickle(GF-DF-V)

I am in an experimenting mood, in my mind that is;  although I cook every day, I am mainly thinking about, rethinking, rereading, planning, organizing, writing, rewriting my recipes. Putting things together in a blogpost is the last thing I think about. 

It is not the time that is lacking, or the drive. It's the time of year, I am in winter modus, the time for evaluating: What is ok, what is not, what do I want to share and what not, what is healthy and why do i care, etc.

Maybe it's a case of writers'block, maybe it's just the springtime I am waiting for, the renewal of the senses, of nature awakening, of fresh smells and new greens, the sprouting of the young leaves the awakening of creativity again. Sigh! Maybe!

That's why I am putting a lot of things in pots, not only literally; like pickles or seeds to sprout, what happens inside? I am experimenting with a bread from My New Roots; I am making pickles to boost my digestion, I made a turmeric paste to make golden milk with home made almond milk, as well  to stimulate and ease my belly.

Last week I made this easy cucumber pickle, it's a classic from the Indonesian kitchen.

Atjar/acar ketimoen is cucumber pickle, easy to make, easy to keep and really refreshing and tinglingly acid when you eat it. As a side  with a rice dish, in a sushi roll or on a sandwich. 

Atjar ketimoen

1 cucumber

2dl vinegar

pinch of salt

1 tsp gula djawa or palm sugar

3 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely cut

6 peppercorns

2 coves of garlic, fine

Wash and halve the cucumber lengthwise.

You can deseed the cucumber so you get this nice half moon shapes, but I don’t bother I like the seeds too. Cut the halves in small slices. Put them in a bowl and set aside.

Cook the vinegar with the rest of the ingredients for some minutes, than strain through a sieve and let it cool. Add to the cucumber and leave it in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. You can also put everything in a sterilized pot with lid. Keep in the fridge for at least 2 weeks!

Atjar ketimoen

1 komkommer

2 dl azijn

 1tl gula djawa of rietsuiker

3 cm stuk verse gember, fijngesneden

6 peperkorrels

2 knoflooktenen

Was en halveer de komkommer in de lengte.

Je kunt de zaadjes eruit scheppen zodat je de komkommer in mooie halve maantjes kunt snijden. Hoeft niet, ik hou wel van de zaadjes. Snijd de komkommerhelften in dunne plakjes en doe ze in een schone of kom of pot en zet apart.

Kook dan de azijn met de rest van de ingrediënten enkele minuten, zeef het vocht en laat afkoelen. Giet dan bij de komkommer en laat zeker 1 uur in de koelkast trekken voor je de atjar serveert. Je kunt hem ook in een gesteriliseerde pot met deksel gieten en bewaren in de koelkast. Blijft zeker 2 weken goed!