Fresh oyster mushrooms, carrot, bell pepper, ginger, garlic and onion are pickled in a mixture of vinegar, sugar and salt to make a contemporary Filipino achara.
Cook’s notes
Pickling originated in India where achar is among the many names by which pickled food is called. Ancient Indian migrants brought achar to Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei where it was adapted as acar. By the time pickled food was introduced to the Philippines, it was renamed achara.
In my grandmother’s time, achara referred to pickled shredded green papaya. Today, green papaya achara is only one of the numerous versions of pickled food in the Philippines. Oyster mushrooms achara is among the latest variants. You can buy it or you can make it.
Oyster mushrooms
So, to make pickled oyster mushrooms, you need oyster mushrooms. Won’t some other mushroom variety work? Well, I can’t say yes to something I haven’t tried so I’ll just stay silent about substitutions. When you buy fresh oyster mushrooms, you will get a mixture of small and large pieces. We separate the small from the large ones. The large mushrooms, we batter and fry. The small ones are ideal for pickling.Pickling solution
I use equal amounts of sugar, vinegar and water. The 1:1 ratio between sugar and vinegar is not set in stone. Some people like their pickled food more sour than sweet while others prefer the opposite. Feel free to use more or less sugar or vinegar.Additions
Before the mushrooms are actually pickled, various spices and vegetables are added to the pickling solution for two reasons. Flavor and color. A brining solution of water, sugar and vinegar is simply too one-dimensional in flavor so things like onion, garlic, ginger, peppercorns and salt are added to add a merry mix of heat and aroma. Julienned carrot and bell pepper are added to give the dish a brighter color and contrast in texture. The mushrooms go into the pickling solution last. The pickling is done at this point but it is not at its best yet. Like any pickled food, allowing the mushrooms to steep in the pickling solution is a must. Two days are enough but a few days longer should be even better.Pickled oyster mushrooms
Ingredients
- 400 grams oyster mushrooms (14.1 oz)
- ½ cup cane vinegar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 6 slices ginger
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic peeled and pounded
- ½ cup julienned carrot
- ½ cup julienned bell pepper
- ½ cup thinly sliced onion
Instructions
- Cut off the root ends of the mushrooms and separate the mushrooms into individual pieces.
- In a sauce pan, boil the vinegar, sugar and salt with half a cup of water until the solids are fully dissolved to make the pickling solution.
- Off the heat but while the pickling solution is still hot, drop in the ginger, garlic, carrot, bell pepper and onion.
- Stir in the mushrooms.
- Cool the pickled oyster mushrooms to room temperature.
- Transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge for two days to allow flavors to develop fully.
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