Vietnamese Daikon and Carrot Pickles

(Used in this project: Circle Labels and Oval Tags in Persimmon Flower style.)

I first heard about these Vietnamese daikon and carrot pickles a couple years ago while partaking in my first delicious Banh Mi sandwich experience. There was something about the sweet and sour taste, the cold, crunchy texture, and the vibrant color that stuck with me, so I decided to find a way to make these at home. I was initially interested in using these for my own homemade Banh Mi sandwiches, but now I use them for all sorts of things, including dinner salads, regular sandwiches, and on its own as a side dish.

The thing about these pickles is that once you start eating them, you can’t stop, and you really shouldn’t have to. I make a nice big batch to store in my fridge, which will last nicely for up to a month. Fair warning: these pickles pack an off-putting pungency when you first open the jar that might cause those near you to run in the opposite direction, but fear not. Your pickles are perfectly fine, and will taste delicious. Plus, they’re super easy to make, and make great host and hostess gifts.

Vietnamese Daikon and Carrot Pickles

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled
• 2 pounds daikon radishes, peeled
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 ½ cups white distilled or rice vinegar
• 2 cups warm water

Slice the daikon radish and carrots into equal sized matchsticks, about 2 inches long and ¼-1/2 inch thick. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss the radish and carrots with your hands until the salt is evenly distributed, and let sit for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. You’ll know they’re ready when you can bend the two ends of a piece of daikon together without breaking.

Place the daikon and carrots in a colander and rinse with cool water until the salt and extra water is gone. Pack into clean pint-sized (or smaller) wide-mouth jars, and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar and water, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Using a jar funnel, pour the brine into the jars until the vegetables are covered. Seal with lids and bands, and refrigerate. Let the pickles sit in the refrigerator overnight before eating so the flavors has enough time to develop.

Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. Serve in Banh Mi sandwiches, over salads, or as a side dish.

Recipe adapted from Simplyrecipes.com.

To package my jars, I used tags tuxedo colored tags and labels in the style Persimmon Flower.

Used In This Project:

• Circle Labels • I chose the “Persimmon Flower” style in Tuxedo.
• Large Oval Tags • I chose the “Persimmon Flower” style in Tuxedo.

More home-canning recipes from Lindsay:

Spicy Guinness Mustard	Cinnamon Pear Jam	Homemade Applesauce	Dehydrated Tomatoes

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