About this component
The quick pickle of carrot and daikon that gives banh mi its crunch and tang and cuts through rich grilled meats. A small lesson in how sour and crisp balance fat across the Vietnamese table.
Component facts
- Yield
- About 2 cups (475 ml)
- Prep
- 15 minutes plus 1 hour resting
- Heat
- None
Development draft. This is an untested development recipe from the cookbook project. It has not been kitchen-tested, and the quantities and timings are the author’s working draft rather than a verified result.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (110 g) carrot, julienned
- 1 cup (110 g) daikon, julienned
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm water
- 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt
Method
- Toss carrot and daikon with the salt; rest 10 minutes, then squeeze out liquid.
- Dissolve sugar in warm water and vinegar.
- Pack the vegetables into a clean jar and cover with brine.
- Rest at least 1 hour (better after a day) before serving.
Notes from the book
- Balancing
- Sweet-sour brine against the vegetables' earthiness; squeeze well for crunch.
- Substitutions
- Cider vinegar for rice vinegar; add a little more sugar for a southern sweetness.
- Storage and food safety
- Refrigerate submerged up to 3 weeks. Use clean utensils.
Pairs with in this book
Grilled meats & rice plates.
The Complete Edition
Do Chua (Pickled Carrot & Daikon) sits in the foundations
The book carries this component alongside the other twenty-three, the twenty-seven pantry studies, and the Vietnam chapter it belongs to.
Available from Amazon
- Kindle edition — $9.99 (Kindle Store price) — available now
- Paperback — $49.99 (print list price) — available now