Achara: Filipino Green Papaya Relish
Have you ever tried green papaya? Try this easy recipe for Achara: Filipino Green Papaya Relish. You’ll want to put it on just about everything.
Have you ever tried green papaya? Try this easy recipe for Achara: Filipino Green Papaya Relish. You’ll want to put it on just about everything.
It’s no secret that I have a sweet tooth, but the truth is, as much as I will never say no to a fudgey brownie barely out of the oven or a decadent ice cream cake, the same can be said for my sour tooth. When it comes to candy, I was the kid who sucked on Warheads like they were peppermints, and Sour Patch Kids was child’s play. We have currently in our refrigerator at least 7 jars of pickles and relishes, and you should have seen my eyes bulge when my husband brought home a jar of pickled okra the other day.
So, I have a question for you.
Have you ever tried green papaya? If not, may I introduce you to Achara: Filipino Green Papaya Relish. You’ll want to put it on just about everything.
Achara is the condiment that I always found on the table when we used to travel back to the Philippines to visit my father’s side of the family. It was like the ketchup or mustard, and it went with just about anything. Grilled fish, barbecued pork, grilled chicken – achara has that sweet and sour flavor that I just love. Try this achara recipe paired with a burger or a hot dog, and you’ll soon find that you’ll want to put it on just about everything, too!
ENJOYED THIS ACHARA RECIPE? MORE FILIPINO RECIPES TO TRY
Pancit Bihon (Filipino Rice Noodles)
Lumpiang Shanghai – Filipino Spring Rolls (Lumpia)
Arroz Caldo (Filipino Chicken and Rice Soup)
Filipino Chicken Adobo
Puto: Filipino Steamed Rice Cakes
Ginataang Mais: Filipino Coconut Rice Pudding with Corn
Ube Halaya: Filipino Purple Yam Jam
Achara: Filipino Green Papaya Relish
Ingredients
- 3 cups rice vinegar
- 1 1/8 cups sugar
- 2 3/4 tablespoons salt
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger peeled & julienned
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 green papaya firm, seeds removed, grated (see notes)
- 2 carrots peeled and grated
- 1 jicama or daikon radish grated or julienned
- 1 red pepper julienned
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 fresno chili thinly sliced (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- 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.
- 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 six months.
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments
COOKBOOK
This is for keep…absolutely!
Wonderful! I’m so glad, thank you, Jess!
This looks fabulous, I’m going to give it a red hot go! We have two prolific paw paw trees!
I hope you love the achara, Anna! You’re so lucky to have such bountiful trees!
When you say “Place papaya mixture into a bowl and pour just enough pickling mixture to cover”, by pickling mixture do you mean the pickling liquid that we boiled the veggies in?
Hi Keiko! The pickling mixture is the pickling liquid with the garlic and ginger. (You should not have boiled the vegetables in this. The papaya, etc. at this point are only salted, rinsed and drained.) I hope this makes sense!
Ohh! I see now! maraming salamat!
You’re so welcome!
Hi! Interested in trying out this recipe, although there is so much sugar! Can I cut down on the amount without changing the flavour too much? And can I use honey instead?
Also, can I use cane vinegar?
Thanks in advance.
Mari
Hi Mari, the sugar is necessary to counteract the quantity of vinegar and provide balance. That said, I haven’t tested the recipe using honey, but it should be fine. Normally, when using honey, it helps to decrease the amount since honey can be sweeter than granulated sugar, so feel free to use a little less than is called for in the recipe. And you can use cane vinegar. Let me know how it turns out with the substitutes!
loved it
Thank you, Karen!
Your recipe specifies allowing vinegar mixture to simmer for 15 minutes. If you do not not add sugar to the mix can you simmer it for a shorter time? How long?
The recipe specifies vinegar mix to be simmered for 15 minutes. If you are not adding sugar to the mix, can you shorten time to simmer? How long?
Can I use balsamic vinegar?
Hi Joel, I would not recommend using regular balsamic vinegar, as that is a very strong vinegar and its own unique flavor profile. Also, the color of balsamic vinegar would muddy the gorgeous vegetables! Rice vinegar is easily found at the market and has the right subtle flavor for this recipe. That said, if you have white balsamic vinegar, that could work in a pinch. I hope that helps!
I’m planning on making this next weekend at our family’s annual summer bbq and I was wondering, what could we use if we don’t have cheesecloth? Also, does it need to be stored in a jar or could it go in a tupperware or ziplock bag? Sorry about the weird questions lol.
Hi, Feli! Not weird questions at all! If you don’t have cheesecloth, you can use a clean flour sack or simply carefully press as much as possible through a sieve. For storage, I recommend a glass jar for longterm — that works best for acidic foods. If it’s just for transporting for a day or two, Tupperware works well!
Hi. I have a question. What if we don’t have rice vinegar? What should we use instead? Thank you!
Hi Danna, rice vinegar has a distinct flavor, but if you don’t have any, I would substitute with distilled white vinegar, which is pretty neutral. Another option, though harder to find, is coconut vinegar. Hope that helps!
How long can we stock atsara? Can it last for more than a year? hehe just curious.
The atsara can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, but honestly, it will likely be eaten before then!
One of the best recipes ever .Thank you. It’s delicious!
I’m SO glad you think so, Chris!! Thank you!
Where can I find green papaya? Can send some tips to pick just the right papaya for making this?
Hi Christine, I’m not sure where you live, but here in Northern California, I find it easiest to buy green papaya at my local Asian market, such as 99 Ranch. The papaya should be green and quite firm. As it ripens, it will soften and turn yellow and eventually orange — delicious, but ripe papaya does not work in this recipe. When you cut into the papaya, you’ll notice that the seeds inside will be tiny and white, instead of the pearly black in the ripened fruit. I hope this helps!
After a conversation with a close friend, I looked for a recipe for atsara. It turned out great. I have 3 big jars of relish. My friend got one, I’m going to keep one and my mom asked for one. Looking thru the rest of your site for other recipes. Thank you.
Can I can this achara to preserve it, or is it strictly a refrigerator pickle??
Hi Tegan, I personally always keep the achara in the refrigerator. I know some say it can be preserved, but to play it safe, I keep it in the fridge! I hope that helps!
Hi, what kind of red pepper? I live in Hawaii and the market’s are full of a variety of red peppers. Thanks!
Hi Mandy, you’re so lucky to live in Hawaii with an abundance of peppers! I just use a standard sweet red bell pepper. If you’re referring to the chili, I use a Fresno chili, but feel free to experiment with your favorite!
Eric is the same way… usually loves tart/sour things more than sweet. Next time we brave the cold to use the grill, I’m totally putting together a batch of this.
Yes, once you get through the winter storms! But if you’ve got fish roasting in the oven, you can make it sooner :) I think Eric will love it!
Rice vinegar and not Datu Puti vinegar? Or Datu Puti is OK?
Datu Puti vinegar would work well, too, Didi! Depending on where you live, sometimes rice vinegar is a little easier to find, so I used that :)