<P> In Sri Lanka, achcharu is traditionally prepared from carrots, onions, and ground dates that are mixed with mustard powder, ground pepper, crushed ginger, garlic, and vinegar, and left to sit in a clay pot . </P> <P> Singapore, Indonesian and Malaysian pickles, called acar, are typically made out of cucumber, carrot, bird's eye chilies, and shallots, these items being seasoned with vinegar, sugar and salt . Fruits, such as papaya and pineapple, are also sometimes pickled . </P> <P> In the Philippines, achara is primarily made out of green papaya, carrots, and shallots, with cloves of garlic and vinegar . Other versions could include ginger, bell peppers, white radishes, cucumbers or bamboo shoots . Separately, in some provinces, unripe mangoes or burong mangga, unripe tomatoes, guavas, jicama, bitter gourd and other fruit and vegetables are also pickled . Siling labuyo, sometimes with garlic and red onions, are also pickled in bottled vinegar . The spiced vinegar itself is a staple condiment in Filipino cuisine . </P> <P> In Vietnam, vegetable pickles are called dưa muối ("salted vegetables") or dưa chua ("sour vegetables"). In Burma, tea leaves are pickled to produce lahpet, which has strong social and cultural importance . </P>

Why is vinegar used as a food preservative