Vietnamese Pickles

My refrigerator is absolutely packed with homemade condiments and sauces. I love having lots of building blocks to add to the flavor of even the most basic meals. These Vietnamese pickles are a great addition to my stockpile, allowing for a twist on basic sandwiches and salads, and enabling me to create more authentic Vietnamese dishes like vermicelli noodles and banh mi sandwiches (recipes forthcoming). The carrots and daikon radish hold their crunch and are complemented by the sweet and vinegary pickling liquid. Since I like my food with a kick, I’ve also added jalapeno peppers to this recipe for a faint spicy note.

Vietnamese Pickles (adapted from Simply Recipes)
Yield: 2 pint-sized jars

Ingredients:

• 1 lb carrots (about 3 medium carrots), peeled and julienned
• 1 lb daikon radish (about 1 large daikon), peeled and julienned
• 4 jalapeno peppers, sliced
• 2 tsp + 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 cups rice vinegar*

*You can also use white wine vinegar.

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix 1 lb carrots (about 3 medium carrots), peeled and julienned, 1 lb daikon radish (about 1 large daikon), peeled and julienned, and 4 jalapeno peppers, sliced with 2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp kosher salt. Toss together until the carrots and daikon begin to soften, about three minutes; they are ready when you can touch the ends of a piece of daikon together without it breaking.
2. Rinse the vegetables with cold water and drain well.
3. In a large bowl or measuring cup, mix together 1 1/2 cups warm water, 1 1/2 cups rice vinegar, and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved.
4. Transfer the softened vegetables into 2 pint-sized jars, and pour the pickling liquid over them. The liquid should cover the vegetables completely.
5. Store in the refrigerator, and let sit at least 1 hour (and ideally 24 hours) before eating. The flavor improves with time, and the pickles should last about a month.