Atcharang Ampalaya

Atcharang Ampalaya... Pickled Ampalaya... Ampalaya Salad

It doesn't look like a lot from the pic pero bawas na yan kasi kumain ako.

Super simple to make with 1 Ampalaya + 1/4 White Onion (or 1 small shallot) + 1 Tomato + Vinegar, Sugar, Cold Water.

Prepare the ampalaya properly: Cut lengthwise, slice thinly. Put it in a bowl, add lots of coarse salt + water (a.k.a brine) until submerged. Leave it to brine for ~30 minutes. Then, massage it hard with your hands - drain the brine - add water - massage again - drain water - done! This really removes most of the bitterness from the ampalaya.

Prep the tomato by removing the seeds first and slicing to about the same size as the ampalaya. Slice the onion the same way.

Put the prepped ampalaya, tomato and onion in a container.

The pickling juice/marinade is 1 part vinegar to half parts sugar and cold water. In a separate bowl, dissolve the suger in vinegar first before adding the cold water. You can adjust this ratio to however you like, as long as its enough to cover the vegetables. Pour this into the veg and stir well.

Cover and refrigerate. Best when eaten cold. It can last upto a week in the fridge... I do not know if it can last longer since I usually eat it all up in a few days with the right ulam i.e. fried fish, inihaw, etc.