Fermenta Collective: Nyonya Achar – A Little Something with Every Meal
An evening of pickling, Peranakan food and stories from Singapore and Indonesia. With Sam & Dey, hosted by Fermenta Collective.
There was always achar in Sam’s fridge growing up. A little alongside rice, a spoonful with dinner— something crunchy, tangy and spicy to have with whatever was on the table.
For this workshop, we’re bringing that everyday staple to a shared table in Berlin.
We are Sam and Dey, an Indonesian–Singaporean duo with Peranakan roots and a shared curiosity about food and the stories around it. We’ll be making Nyonya achar: a colourful vegetable pickle with a fragrant spice paste and vinegar dressing, finished with peanuts and sesame seeds.
If you always have a jar of kimchi or pickles in your fridge, you might recognise the habit. For anyone meeting achar for the first time, there will be plenty to taste.
We’ll taste different achars paired with Peranakan snacks, then get chopping as we make Nyonya achar together using ingredients commonly available here. Along the way, we’ll share stories about Peranakan food culture in Singapore and Indonesia, how achar is made, and what we eat it with.
The evening will be accompanied with nostalgic tunes from Singapore and Indonesia. You’ll take home the achar you’ve made, the recipe to make it again, and ideas for dishes to enjoy it with.
No previous pickling experience is needed. Just curiosity, an appetite and a willingness to get chopping.
Included:
Insights to achar and peranakan table culture
Hands-on workshop materials
Tasting for three achar varieties
Tasting of peranakan snacks as achar pairing
Recipe for Nyonya Achar
Take-home Achar we made together