Pickles are considered an essential side dish in many Asian cuisines.
Vegetables pickled in a brine of salt, sugar, vinegar and water are kitchen staples in many homes all over Asia. The daikon and carrot pickles are particularly very popular in Japan as ‘ namasu’ which means vegetables in vinegar and in Vietnam as ‘ do chua’ or sour stuff.
In China they say that “when radishes come onto the market, nobody will go to the pharmacies.”Carrots are also another crunchy power food. Not only these two vegetables add a host of vitamins, antioxidants to your daily diet but almost every dish benefits from some pickled daikon and carrots on the side.
This very easy method of making pickles at home will save you a lot of money and add oodles of flavour to any mealtime. You can add other favourite vegetables to it too…turnips, cauliflower and chillies taste great in it.
The taste of pickle improves with time and it can easily last for 4-5 weeks if refrigerated.
For Asian Daikon and Carrot Pickle:
1 big daikon
1 carrot
4 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes ( optional)
This Is What You Do :
Boil 2+1/2 cups of water in a saucepan, add sugar, salt and vinegar. Stir till sugar and salt are dissolved completely. Set aside to cool.
Peel and slice daikon and carrot into thin strips.
Fill a medium saucepan 3/4 with water, bring to a boil. Add carrots and daikons, boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat, scoop out with a slotted spoon. Dry the vegetables with clean kitchen towel.
Stuff the vegetable strips into an airtight, dry, sterilised jar. Stir the chilli flakes into the brine/vinegar water.
Pour the liquid into the jar over the vegetables till covered. Seal the lid and refrigerate for two days before using.