Nyonya Acar (Pickled Vegetables)

Deseed 10-15 dried chilies by cutting them open with scissors. Place them in a bowl and pour hot water over them to soak until soft.

Peel 10-15 shallots and 3 cloves of garlic. Prepare a small piece of galangal, a small piece of turmeric, a small piece of lemongrass, and 2 candlenuts.

Slice the harder ingredients: galangal and lemongrass, to make them easier to blend.

Combine all the paste ingredients (soaked chilies, shallots, garlic, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, candlenuts) in a blender. Add some clear water to help with blending and process until a smooth paste is formed.

Heat 1/2 cup of cooking oil in a wok over low heat. Add the blended spice paste and stir-fry until it becomes fragrant and turns a darker red color. If the paste appears too dry, add a little more oil.

Add 4 tablespoons of white sugar, 4 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 1.5 teaspoons of salt to the paste. Continue to stir-fry over low heat until the paste is well-combined, fragrant, and has a rich, dark red color.

Transfer the cooked paste to a bowl and spread it out to cool. You can skim off any excess oil if you prefer less oil in the final dish.

Prepare 2 cucumbers (about 1kg total) by cutting off the ends, slicing them lengthwise, removing the seeds, and then cutting them into strips. Try to keep some thickness for a crunchy texture.

Prepare 100g of carrot by slicing it into thin pieces, then cutting them into strips. Carrots are harder, so thinner cuts are preferred.

Combine the cucumber and carrot strips in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and mix by hand for 3-5 minutes until the vegetables release water.

Rinse the salted cucumber and carrot under running water to wash off the excess salt. Then, place them in a clean cloth or mesh bag and squeeze out as much water as possible. Spread them out to air dry or use a fan to remove more moisture.

Prepare 250-300g of cabbage by removing the core and cutting it into wedges or tearing it into pieces.

Prepare 5 long beans (about 100g) by cutting them into small segments.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to the boiling water. Blanch the cabbage until it turns a slightly darker color, then remove it.

Blanch the long beans in the same water until they turn a slightly darker green, then remove them.

Squeeze out any excess water from the blanched cabbage and long beans using a clean cloth or mesh bag. Ensure they are not too hot before squeezing.

In a large clean bowl, combine the dried cucumber and carrot strips, the blanched cabbage, and the blanched long beans. Add the cooled spice paste.

Wearing gloves, mix all the ingredients thoroughly by hand until the vegetables are evenly coated with the paste. Continue mixing for 2-3 minutes to ensure the flavors are well absorbed.

Add a handful of crushed roasted peanuts and a handful of white sesame seeds to the mixture. Mix again until evenly distributed.

Serve immediately as a side dish. For best flavor, refrigerate for at least one day to allow the flavors to meld. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one to two weeks.