Atsara Recipe (Pickled Green Papaya) - Simply Bakings (2024)

Atsara, also known as Pickled Green Papaya or Papaya Relish is a fresh-tasting side dish that is made of green papaya, carrots, and delicious spices!

Looking for more traditional Filipino dishes? Try my easy & delicious Laing, Heartwarming Misua Soup (Noodle Soup), Vegan Bistek or my savory Grilled Eggplant with Coconut Milk.

What is Atsara?

Atsara(also spelledachara or atchara depending on what region you're from in the Philippines) is a Filipino fermented dish that is very popular condiment in the Philippines. Filipinos love having Atsara as a side dish to foods like fried fish, grilled meat, grilled chicken, and even as a healthy snack.

Its main ingredient is the unripe green papaya that is shredded finely and then cooked in a pickling solution. Filipinos make many versions of this recipe and some of the ways are mixing ampalaya slices or raisins. Others add in thinly sliced red or white radish in their own version of Atsara.

Health Benefits of Papaya

• Great in lowering cholesterol. It is rich in fiber, Vitamin C, and antioxidants
• Aids in weight loss
• Boosts the immune system
• Great snacks for persons with diabetes
• Aids in good eye health
• Improves digestion with its fiber content
• Helps ease menstrual cramps

How to Make Atsara:

Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:

• unripe green papaya
• water
• brown sugar
• coconut vinegar
• small carrot
• garlic
• small onion
• ginger
• black pepper
• annatto (atsuete) powder

Wash papaya, slice lengthwise, remove the seeds and gut using spoon or scraper:

Wash it again and grate the papaya:

Place the papaya in a large bowl with salt and set aside for 1 hour:

Squeeze the papaya, drain the liquid from the papaya, and rinse thoroughly:

Pre-heat saucepan or pot over medium heat, add 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. Then add sugar and stir until it is dissolved:

Add coconut vinegar and cover until it boils:

Then add carrots, garlic, shallot, ginger to the pickling solution:

Now it's time to add black pepper:

Then add the annatto powder:

Lastly, add thesalt:

Add grated papaya, red bell pepper, mix and turn off the fire:

Allow it to cool and pour into a airtight sterilized jar. Seal the jar and place inside the refrigerator for a week (or five days minimum to achieve the texture and flavor):

It is best to serve Atsara cold fried dishes.

Substituions

• Feel free to use red onions instead of shallots.
• Instead of coconut vinegar, feel free to use white vinegar

Variations

• If you have a sweet tooth, you can add about 1 cup raisins to this recipe. It will taste so good!
• For a more vibrant color, you can also add a small sliced green bell pepper or a small red bell pepper to the Atsara.
• If you 're looking to make it on the spicy side, add some red peppers

Storage

• After cooking and allow it cool for at least an hour, you can store them in airtight jars and chill them.
• Store 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container

Top Tips

• Be careful not to overcook the papaya. Just follow the easy steps here in this recipe and you'll never go wrong!
• It is best to use unripe green papaya for this Atsara recipe. The sweet and sour taste of the sugar and vinegar mixture will blend so well with the taste of the unripe papaya.

Frequently Asked Questions

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