This refrigerator Pickled Daikon and Carrots are crunchy and tastes amazing as a side dish with your rice based meals. Very easy to make.
This year I decided to try making quick and easy refrigerator pickles with some of the vegetables harvested from the Raised Bed Garden. It made a lot of sense as I was harvesting vegetables daily and shelf stable water-bath canned vegetables is more involved and takes more time to prepare. It is also fun to make different things with the variety of vegetables coming in from the garden.
Korean Restaurant in Cheyenne
We discovered a Korean restaurant in Cheyenne. Nothing fancy, homecooked style but very good. I like their bibimbap with all the pickles, kimchi, and side dishes. Since I planted lots of daikon and carrots in late summer as a succession crop, I wanted to replicate the Korean restaurant’s daikon pickles. I used homegrown Minowase daikon and Kyoto Red carrots for a contrast. I was very happy with the results.
Long, Thick Strips of Daikon and Carrots
I made this pickle twice. In my first try, I shaved the daikon and carrots but was not thrilled with the results. I tried both kinds of mandolin I had on hand and none could give me thick, long strands of daikon and carrots. I also used the same amount of daikon and carrots. The grated carrots bled into the daikon. It wasn’t pretty.
In the end, I decided to use the good ol’ knife instead. It took a bit of time to cut the matchsticks but it turned out exactly the way I wanted it. To me, it also tasted better as both daikon and carrots were crunchier.
While the Kyoto Red Carrots still bled a little but it was not bad at all. Apparently, you can scald the carrots to prevent this from happening but I did not bother to do that. I did use less carrots this time and liked it much better this time.
A Very Simple Recipe
Some people like to salt their daikon and carrots first to soften it before pickling. I did not do that and it turned out just fine. Anyway, it needs to sit in the brine for 2 to 3 days before you actually serve it so that the brine will soak through the daikon and carrots.
Once the brine is cool, store in the refrigerator and wait patiently for 2 to 3 days. After which, you will be rewarded with crunchy Pickled Daikon and Carrots.
Similar Tools Used in This Pickled Daikon and Carrots
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Granite Ware 7.5 Qt Strainer Pot with lid.
Ball Regular Mouth Quart 12 Pieces Jars (32oz)
Ball Regular Mouth Mason Jars with Lids and Bands, (Quart, 32 Ounce) (Pack of 4)
Pickled Daikon and Carrots
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs daikon (675g)
- ½ lb carrots (about 2 large carrots) (225g)
Brine
- 2 cups rice vinegar (480ml)
- 2 cups water (480ml)
- 1 cup sugar (220g)
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Wash jars in warm, soapy water. Place the washed jars in a deep pot or canner. Fill the jars up to the top and the canner up to the same level as the jars with water. Cover the canner and bring water to a simmer (with small bubbles).
- Wash lids and bands with warm soapy water. Drop them into the canner together with the jars. When ready to use, take them out from the canner with a pair of tongs. Dry them with a clean towel.
- Peel daikon with a vegetable peeler. Then cut into matchsticks 1/8 inch think and 3 inches long. Do the same for the carrots. Place in a large bowl and mix them up.
- Divide matchstick daikon and carrot equally between the 2 prepared quart sized mason jars.
- Combine rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar and salt have dissolved completely.
- Pour hot brine into jars to cover matchstick daikon and carrot completely. Press down daikon and carrots with a ladle if necessary. Seal jars with lids and bands.
- Allow brine to cool. Transfer to the refrigerator.
- Pickled daikon and carrot are ready to eat after 2 or 3 days. Store in refrigerator submerged in brine and consume within 2 months.
Nutrition
Recently, I also made some Napa Cabbage Kimchi. It is so easy to whip up a fast lunch or dinner with the kimchi and Pickled Daikon and Carrots. Just cook some rice, fry and egg or any kind of meat you desire, and break out the kimchi and pickles and you have a quick and delicious meal. Next time, I will share the recipe for that red sauce in the squirt bottle used in bibimbap. 😉
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