Star Fruit Pickle (Carambola Pickle)
The star fruit (also known as carambola) is a delicious sweet-tart tropical fruit. It is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, and has reputed health benefits. However, it should be noted that it is contra-indicated for people with certain underlying health conditions. (For further reading, click here.)
Star fruits (Carambolas)
This Star Fruit Pickle (Achard de Carambole) is my own riff on a Mauritian-style carambola achar. For starters, in order to preserve maximum flavour, I chose to blanch the star fruit whole prior to trimming it and slicing it into wedges. After cutting the star fruit into wedges, I brined the pieces for a couple of hours, strained them, and marinated them in a mixture of spices. For my spice blend, I used mustard seeds, garlic powder, chilli powder, ground turmeric, and a surprise ingredient: vanilla paste.
I chose to add vanilla because it is a wonderful ingredient in savoury dishes. Actually, it is a perfect complement to the star fruit and other ingredients in this pickle. The flavours of the vanilla and the other ingredients meld beautifully to produce a delicious achar. This Star Fruit Pickle is a flavoursome mixture of sweetness, spiciness, tartness, and saltiness that will enliven your meals.
Salted star fruit wedges
Star Fruit Pickle
Yield: Two 400-mL jars
Ingredients
500 g star fruits
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons distilled white vinegar (use less vinegar if star fruit has a high degree of tartness — mine was very sweet with minimal tartness)
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Method
In a saucepan, add the star fruits. Cover them with boiling water. Soak for one minute. With a slotted spoon, scoop out the star fruits and place in a bowl of ice-cold water. Soak for a few minutes. Drain. Dry the star fruits with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Trim the brown spots off the ridges of the star fruits. Cut the star fruits lengthwise into wedges. Remove any seeds. Place the star fruit wedges in a bowl. Add the coarse salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.
Strain the star fruit wedges. Discard the liquid.
In a dry wok or saucepan, add the vegetable oil. On medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the mustard seeds, garlic powder, turmeric, and chilli powder. Stir and cook until the mustard seeds start popping. Add the star fruit wedges. Stir. Add the vinegar and vanilla paste. Mix well. Cook for a few minutes.
Transfer the contents into a bowl. Fill two sterilised 400-mL jars with this mixture. Cover with airtight lids. Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, refrigerate it.
This pickle will keep for weeks in the refrigerator.
I would love your feedback. If you try this recipe, please leave a comment in the Comments Section below or reach out to me on Instagram: @thelittlekatora.
