Pickled Carrots & Daikon (Đồ Chua)

What is đồ chua?

Đồ chua is pickled carrots & daikon radish, commonly used as a topping for things like bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwiches). It is also used as accompaniment to a rice dish like lemongrass chicken, or on a noodles & meat dish called bún thịt nướng.

What is a daikon radish?

A daikon radish is a white, winter radish that originated in the Mediterranean. It is a root vegetable. According to the article “Daikon: The Great Radish of Japan” written by Makiko Itoh from The Japan Times, it is the most popular vegetable in Japan. Don’t confuse daikon radish for a turnip. The easiest way to tell the difference between the two is their shape. Daikon radish has an elongated shape. Whereas, a turnip has a round shape and can have a white and purple outer layer. Although some turnips just have a white outer layer. Once peeled, the inner flesh from both are white and crispy. To me, the taste of a turnip is milder compared to the taste of a daikon radish. The daikon radish has a slight, spicy “horse radish” taste to it.

How to choose daikon radish

When picking out daikon radish for pickling at the Asian grocery store, I always choose a medium sized one that is firm to the touch with minimal bruises. I’ve noticed that the bigger sized daikon radish are too stringy for my liking. Perhaps because they are older, more mature??? Not sure. I’ve not seen daikon radish at the American grocery store, I’ve only seen turnips there. So if you don’t have access to an Asian grocery store nearby, you can purchase fresh daikon radish here.

Vietnamese pickling and what it tastes like

There are four pickling methods. Quick pickling, salt-brined, vinegar-brined and fermented. I’d say making đồ chua is a combination of the quick, salt and vinegar brined techniques. Vietnamese pickling technique is faster and simpler because it does not involve sterilizing jars. You know me, I’m all for easy, uncomplicated recipes 🤣.

Đồ chua (pickled daikon & carrots) does not taste like any pickled vegetables you’ve had. This pickling method maintains the vegetable’s crunchiness. It also has a slight spicy, sweet and sour taste to it that is absent in the normal pickled vegetable. To me the spiciness is similar to that of horseradish spicy, and not chili pepper spicy.

How to make đồ chua (pickled carrots & daikon)

Pickled daikon radish and carrots are simple to make, but does require a bit of patience in order for the flavors to meld. The ingredients required are simple. All you need is hot water, sugar, salt, vinegar, fresh carrots, daikon radish, and fresh red hot chili peppers (optional for heat).

First step is to wash then peel the vegetables. My favorite vegetable peeler is the Swiss Y shaped peeler because it works so smoothly, even my son is able to help me peel the veggies.

To me the most time consuming part is julienning the vegetables. So to save time, you can

• Use a mandolin
• Buy the precut, match sticks carrots. If you’re going to use the precut, match sticks carrots, make sure to rinse it with water thoroughly before using.

If you don’t have a mandolin, or don’t want to use the precut match sticks carrots, don’t worry. You can use fresh, whole vegetables and cut it the old fashion way. Just like I did. When I julienned the vegetables, I did so a bit thicker than the normal match sticks size. The reason is because it provides more of a crunchy texture, which I prefer. So it all boils down to personal preference.

After julienning the vegetables, add salt to the vegetables, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then rinse all the salt off. This will dehydrate the vegetables by drawing its own water out, so that the vegetables are better able to absorb the pickling liquid. This will also help lessen the “horse radish” spiciness in the daikon radish, and help make the vegetables more pliable.

How to store pickled daikon & carrots

I store đồ chua (pickled daikon radish & carrots) in a mason jar. I will also put a piece of saran plastic wrap over the mouth of the mason jar before putting on the lid. This makes cleaning the lid a lot easier. It probably has something to do with me being a clean freak too 😆.

Since there’s no sterilization of the jars, you can place the julienned vegetables in a thoroughly cleaned jar and submerge it in the pickling liquid with the lid on. I store my jar of đồ chua in the refrigerator for up to a month, but honestly it doesn’t even last that long. Even my husband loves it. We are obsessed with it & put it on everything.

The next time you need something to serve with your Vietnamese rice dish, give this recipe a try. It will add an extra layer of flavor and crunch. Have you used the Vietnamese pickling method before? Leave me a comment below, if you have. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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