INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of Green Papaya- julienned or Jicama

1 Fennel bulb, cut across the bulb in thin strips

1/2 cup of Cauliflower florets

5 cloves

2 bell peppers (a yellow and a red) or mini sweet peppers ( 2 of each color), julienned or across

1 inch length of ginger knob, cut across into round discs

1. PREPARATION:
2. Prepare the ingredients according to their recommended cuts. Use a mandoline if available.
3. In a medium-size pot, boil 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of rice vinegar or coconut vinegar with ginger. Let it simmer for 2 minutes under low heat, then remove from the burner. If using papaya, add it to the simmering mixture and let it simmer for another 2 minutes before removing.
4. Once the pot is removed from the heat, add the jicama, pepper, cauliflower florets, and fennel. Let it soak in the hot mixture for about 5 minutes before spooning into pickling jars.
5. Fill pickling jars with the jicama atchara and add the pickling juice in each jar until full. Let it cool in the jar before covering with airtight seal cover.
6. Refrigerate and serve when cool as a garnish or in a salad.

I like to add atchara and its pickling juice to cut up cucumbers with thinly sliced cabbage and serve as a slaw. Atchara is also great as a condiment with grilled meats in sandwiches like Bahn Mi’s or burgers.