Grown up in a small village in Gurkarah (Trinidad and Tobago)it’s natural to use words to pronounce it as a generation before you do. This is especially true for two words. Talkai (Other people say Takari) and anchar (Other people say Amchar or Achar). My grandmothers were 104 and 99 respectively, but as mentioned several times here, I recall that they both say Anchar. Do what you want with the information I just shared.
You need it…
Two big star fruits (approx. 2 pounds)
8-12 cloves garlic
3-5 Scotch Bonnet Pepper
1 glass of vegetable oil
3 tablespoons Anchar Masala
1 teaspoon salt
Note! Feel free to add Chadon Beni (culantro) Blend pepper mix if necessary. Would you recommend following the details about the recipe below? If you are creating this gluten-free, check the ingredient list to make sure you meet your gluten-free dietary requirements.
I was in the Caribbean, or if it was summer in Canada, I would place sliced ​​star fruits in the sun to dry naturally. However, in the middle of winter, the temperature was hovering at about -12C, so I used an oven to remove the moisture. Wash and slice star fruit into 3/4 cm pieces, place on a sheet pan and place in a 170F oven for about 90 minutes.
Pepper and garlic puree in a food processor or blender with oil, pour the combo into a cold pan and turn the heat to medium/low. Cook the peppers and drain the kitchen as they can suffocate from the smoke. Add salt and cook for 5 minutes to add the oil to the flavor of garlic and pepper. I used 3 peppers of garlic and 12 cloves. Give the ingredient list a little range so you can adjust the heat and garlic to your liking.
Add Anchar Masala (See your local West Indian grocery store or try out Caribshopper online). Mix well and lower the heat for another 4 minutes.
It’s time to add dehydration (The video explains why. Make stars of fruit fragments in a pan, mix well, mix and cook gently for 15-20 minutes. The goal is to allow Star Fruit Pieces to absorb the flavors they create in the pot.
Once cooled, put it in a glass container. (Plastic can be used)However, the scent will soak in through the ANCHAR. Store in the fridge in a cool, dark space in your kitchen for more than 3 months.
Go back to the way I say it or pronounce Anchar. Every time I use the words mentioned at the beginning of this post, I usually look at how I learned from my surroundings and from the people who occupied that space in my most beneficial year. Without consideration, I get on the onslaught of disliked comments about my “lack of knowledge.”
