Pickled Daikon Radish - Two Ways!

Both of these recipes are riffs on pickled daikon from both David Chang’s Momofuku and Linda Zeidrich’s tome The Joy of Pickling (Both absolutely worth the order from your local bookstore!)

Easy-Peasy Quick-Pickled Daikon

Quickles are the best! An easy addition to salads and sandwiches or just a side to snack on, these take only a few minutes to prep and add so much to your meal!

Wash and peel 8-12 oz of daikon (or just scrub it really good and leave the skin intact), then cut into 3-inch lengths, and julienne. (Need some help with knife-skills? check out this article in wikihow for a quick tutorial). Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt (that’s 3:1 of sugar to salt if you decide to scale up the recipe), toss well and allow to sit for 15 minutes or so… If your in a hurry, no need to wait! If you are preparing for later in the day, stick it in the fridge until you are ready :)

Quick Refrigerator Pickles

These are also quick, but need a day to marinate to reach their full potential. Bonus: These keep for weeks!

12+ Ounces of daikon radish julienned or cut into coins (or diced or whatever you like - the bigger the piece, the longer you would want to marinate.

1 Cup water (HOT from the tap)

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar (Use whatever is in your pantry! White wine or apple cider vin are good substitutes)

6 Tablespoons Sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons Salt

Combine the hot water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pack the prepared daikon into a quart jar (add aromatics like garlic, dried chiles, and ginger if the mood suits you). Pour the prepared vinegar brine over the veg, cover and refrigerate. You can totally eat them immediately, but they will be perfect in a day or two. After you’ve made your first batch, adjust the sugar and salt as you like and play with different vinegars and spices. Add other veggies for more delicious variations!