This recipe for pickled daikon with carrots is a classic appetizer that was once often served as a freebie in Cantonese restaurants, along with fried peanuts.
I would usually let my parents take control of perusing the menu and concentrate all my attention on this sweet, crunchy pickle in combination with the salty fried peanuts—the perfect prelude to the meal to come.
That said, we’re not seeing it as often these days—perhaps due to rising food costs. Let’s keep it from fading into obscurity with this easy recipe!
A Quick Pickle
While pickling things sounds complicated, rest assured that here, you won’t need many ingredients (just sugar, white vinegar, rice vinegar, salt, daikon, and carrot), or time (48 hours).
That’s really all there is to it. While you can pickle the vegetables for even less time (say, 24 hours), we feel the optimal flavor is achieved after 2 days of soaking in the pickling liquid.
Versatile Uses
If you didn’t grow up going out to Cantonese restaurants, you might associate this pickled daikon and carrot mixture more with Vietnamese food, and you’d be right to!
You can also use this recipe to top banh mi sandwiches, like our Spicy Pork Meatball Banh Mi and our Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi.
You can also serve this as a side dish for rich BBQ meats—Korean BBQ or Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops anyone?
Feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking, by reducing or increasing the sugar or vinegar, or by slicing the daikon and carrot thinner if you prefer that texture.
Tip!
Daikon radish can have a strong smell that sometimes stinks up the fridge. I don’t mind it so much, so I usually just cover the bowl with an overturned plate and that’s that.
That said, if you want to prevent that smell from permeating your fridge, place the vegetables and pickling liquid in a tightly sealed jar, glass tupperware, or other sealed container.
Pickled Daikon Recipe Instructions
First, make the pickling liquid. Add the sugar to a large measuring cup or heatproof bowl, and then pour in the hot boiling water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the white vinegar and rice vinegar, and allow to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the daikon and carrot sticks, and add the salt. Toss well, and let the vegetables sit in the salt for 15-20 minutes.
This draws the water out of them, making them crunchier after pickling. You’ll notice that the vegetables become more pliable after salting.
Toss the vegetables again, and then rinse under running water. Drain and gently shake off the excess liquid, then transfer the vegetables to the bowl of pickling liquid. Press the vegetables down into the liquid, cover the bowl, and refrigerate.
Let sit for 24 hours for a fresher taste, 48 hours for a more pickled taste (we prefer a 48 hour pickle), or up to 10 days.
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Recipe
Pickled Daikon
Ingredients
For the pickling liquid:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
For prepping the vegetables:
- 1 pound daikon radish (peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick, 3-inch long sticks)
- 1 medium carrot (peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick, 3-inch long sticks)
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- First, make the pickling liquid. Add the sugar to a large measuring cup or heatproof bowl, and then pour in the hot boiling water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the white vinegar and rice vinegar, and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the daikon and carrot sticks, and add the salt. Toss well, and let the vegetables sit in the salt for 15-20 minutes. This draws the water out of them, making them crunchier after pickling.
- Toss the vegetables again, and then rinse under running water. Drain and gently shake off the excess liquid, then transfer the vegetables to the bowl of pickling liquid. Press the vegetables down into the liquid, cover the bowl, and refrigerate. Let sit for 24 hours for a fresher taste, 48 hours for a more pickled taste (we prefer a 48 hour pickle), or up to 10 days.
