Filipino Green Papaya Relish (ACHARA)

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(Edited)
Yesterday afternoon, when I got home, I immediately went to my little garden and looked at my drying plants. Almost the only thing you can see alive in plants is my Papaya which is also about to dry out and die.

However, there are ready replacements for each dead plant, which I will plant in September so that it can be harvested by November or December. Right now, if I can harvest all the papaya, I have to fix the trellis and remove the dried leaves. Then I had to level the ground and arrange the supports on each plot.

I just picked 3 papayas to make "ATSARA" . From my papaya tree, I grated the papaya fruit and we made a papaya preserve known in the Philippines as “ATSARA”!

Let's first look at my crops that have dried up in the extreme heat. All of that I will remove and replace with seasonal plants especially the squash.

Papayas are large enough to ripen or incorporate into other dishes. But did you know that this Papaya has no seeds inside when you open it? I just found out when I opened one of them.

It is not as big as other Papayas because of the extreme heat of the weather here. But if the weather is in the right climate, the papaya tree is sure to produce large fruits.

The ATSARA or ACHARA

The ATSARA is a traditional condiment of pickled green papaya, carrots and peppers in Filipino cuisine. Crunchy green papaya, combined with the sweet-sour tang of the gingered pickle juice, makes for an incredibly refreshing accent to so many dishes.

Have you ever tried green papaya? If not, may I introduce you to Achara: Filipino Green Papaya Relish. You want to put it into almost everything.

Achara is the spice I always find on the table at any Philippine restaurant in the Philippines. It’s like sauce or mustard, and it goes with anything. Grilled fish, roast pork, grilled chicken-achara has a sweet and sour taste that I just love. Try this achara recipe paired with a burger or a hot dog, and you’ll soon know you’ll want to put it on almost everything too!

My wife knows how to make it, so I let her make ATSARA but I grate the papaya for her because it's hard to grate papaya and your hands will get hurt.

The ingredients are simple. Green Papaya, carrot, red bell pepper, Ginger, garlic, salt, sugar, vinegar, and black pepper for the taste.

In a non-reactive saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, 3/4 tablespoon salt, garlic and ginger over high heat, and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and the salt. Reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the pepper. Cool, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next, toss the vegetables with the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Place papaya mixture in a cheesecloth-lined colander and rinse well under water. Bring up ends of cheesecloth and squeeze excess liquid. Place papaya mixture into a bowl and pour just enough pickling mixture to cover. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month is enough. Others spend 3 to 6 months storing ATSARA to make it even better.

Posted on NaturalMedicine.io

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Mother Earth always surprises me, and your plants are proof of this, because even when I know that you have taken good care of them, the climate has been against them, to the point of drying them, but being dry, they have borne many fruits. Papayas that do not have seeds are generally hybrids. My father sowed those, they are very productive and resistant, as yours shows. I loved the achara recipe, I will try to make it when I harvest my papayas, which will be in about a month or two. Good post. Greetings.

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Looks delicious!!! I'd love to be able to grow papaya just so I can make this. I can get green papaya at the Melbourne markets so maybe I'll do that when we are allowed up there again.

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