Vietnamese Pickled Daikon and Carrots (Đồ Chua)

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Vietnamese Pickled Daikon and Carrots (Đồ Chua)

A Bánh Mì wouldn't be complete without pickled daikon and carrots! They bring a bright, sweet-and-sour crunch that cuts through the richness and completes the sandwich.

Prep Time35

Pickling Time1

Total Time35

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

~ 9 ounces (255g) carrots (4 to 5 medium carrots)
~ 9 ounces (255g) daikon radish (see Note 1)
Fine sea salt
½ cup (120 mL) filtered water
¼ cup + 3 tablespoons (105 mL) distilled white vinegar
4 ½ tablespoons (56g) organic cane sugar

Instructions

Peel and wash the carrots and daikon radish.
Using a sharp knife, slice the carrots and radish crosswise into 2 to 3” pieces (5 to 7.5 cm), then slice each piece lengthwise into planks. From here, slice each plank into matchstick pieces ⅛” to ¼ (3 to 6 mm) thick (see Note 2).
The goal is to have roughly 1 pound (450g) of peeled, julienned vegetables (~5 cups worth). I like to have a 50:50 ratio of carrots and daikon, but you don't need to be precise.
Measure out the salt for step 3.
If you have a scale: Weigh the julienned vegetables in grams, then multiply the total weight by 2% (.02).
Example: If the julienned vegetables weigh 450g → 450 x .02 = 9
For 1 pound / 450g julienned vegetables, this is 9g of or 1 ½ teaspoons of fine sea salt.
Add the julienned vegetables to a large bowl with the 2% sea salt. Massage the salt into the vegetables for 2 minutes, or until there’s a fair amount of liquid pooling at the bottom and the vegetables are glistening.
Let the vegetables rest for 15 minutes, then drain them and rinse well. Working in handfuls, use your hands to squeeze out as much moisture from the vegetables as you can.
Transfer the vegetables to a glass jar and pack them in tightly (a 24-oz / 700 mL jar works well or two smaller jars).
Bring the ½ cup (120 mL) water to a boil in a saucepan or kettle, then combine the boiling water, vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon (6g) sea salt. Whisk very well to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Pour the brine over the vegetables until they’re submerged (you may not need all the brine).
Seal the jar and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours, ideally for 12 to 24 hours. These will stay good in the fridge for about 1 week.
NOTE: Since radishes contain sulfur, there will be a relatively strong aroma once you open the jar. To minimize this, you can unseal the jar and let it sit at room temp for a few minutes, then eat.

Notes

You can find daikon radish at well-stocked supermarkets as well as Asian grocers. It brings a juicy, subtle radish flavor and a nice crunch. If it's not available, you can try substituting with white turnips (a bit earthier) or jicama (sweeter, with no bite). I would avoid “regular” red radishes, as they’re too peppery and assertive.
Thicker pieces will take longer to pickle but will have more bite/crunch. To speed things up a bit, you can use a julienne peeler, or a julienne blade on a mandoline or food processor; these may yield thinner pieces, which won't have as much bite/crunch.

Nutrition