I wasn’t sure if I should call this a slaw or a relish because it can be eaten either way. Some Chinese restaurants offer it as a pre-appetizer, along with peanuts and/or seaweed salad. It’s sometimes mixed with or served under a jellyfish salad. It’s also great with spicy meat because it cools your tongue. Think of it as Chinese pickles.
This recipe is a guideline because carrots and daikon vary so you’ll have to adjust by taste in the end.
Carrot and Daikon Relish
~makes roughly 4 cups
- 4 cups long julienned daikon
- about 1/2 cup sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons table salt, divided
- 2 cups long julienned carrot
- 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons white vinegar
Instructions –
1. Place daikon in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons sugar. Set aside for 30 minutes. It will let out liquid. Drain. Add 1/3 cup sugar and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
2. Toss carrots with 1 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain the liquid and toss with 2 teaspoons sugar.
3. Drain the daikon again. Toss daikon and carrots together and add another 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to taste. Add 1/4 cup vinegar, and extra as needed. Toss, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
*It stores well in the fridge for about a week. Store it in the liquid but remove from liquid before serving.
I love pickled daikons and carrots. They’re perfect for Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches, Bun Thit Nuong and many other Asian dishes. You got the perfect translucent color.
Jackie, a Banh Mi Sandwich is definitely in the works for this week!
great photos, although we find that its not necessary to separate the process. As Jackie says, it’s a foundation as well as accompaniment in so many Vietnamese dishes…
Ravenouscouple, I find that if you don’t separate the process, the carrots will get more sugar than necessary because the daikon needs a lot more and I don’t like it when the carrots taste too sugary. Also, the color of the carrots will bleed onto the daikon and you won’t get such a stark color contrast which looks nice.
…after the Banh Mi, perhaps I’ll try some new Vietnamese dish I haven’t made before…let’s see how much I have left.
cool, crunchy, and colorful–works for me. very enticing accompaniment!
PERFECT pictures! But why did my rendition turn out so, bleh!
Could it be because I used Rice WINE Vinegar??? Aaannnddd Turnips ’cause no daikon to be found. And my shreds were short and thickish. And brown sugar instead of white. I used Morton Kosher salt, this ok?
What in fact should this taste like? More sweet and vinegary overall? What should prevail, the taste of carrot or daikon (turnip)?
I just added 1/16 teaspoon of fesh ginger to 1 cup of my disaster, would this offend a real Banh Mi samwich? I just think it needs more gumption and taste. Would white pepper be better?
Help! Thanky all.
Hi Paulski,
You changed just about everything in the recipe so I’m not surprised that it came out differently. The Morton Kosher Salt is fine, but the other changes would each make dramatic changes. The result should be sweet and sour, refreshing and crunchy.You should taste both carrot and daikon but the daikon should loose its sharpness after sitting overnight.
Good luck on your next try!
Yep, guess I did that didn’t I. But….., today they both taste much better, the earthyy taste in the turnips has dissipated, and it’s not as bad as yesterday.
Ok, when I prepare my next batch, can you advise on the following:
1. How do you get long shreds from a manual, regular 4-sided shredder? Could it be the side with holes instead of slits?
2. Can fresh bean sprouts be added?
3. Would a bit of Fish Sauce add punch and taste?
BTW, I like the one wiith ginger, a very faint hint but it’s there. What you say to this?
Thanky!
Paulski,
1. I don’t know if there’s any way to get long shreds on a box grater. I cut them with a knife.
2. If you want to add bean sprouts, I think it would be better if you added right when you are going to eat it. Don’t marinate together.
3. I have no idea what it would be like with fish sauce since i haven’t tried it with it.
You can make any changes that you like to it. If you like the ginger, that’s all that matters.
I plan to do a version of this tomorrow, I plan on using White Balsamic Vinegar and adding some regular cabbage to the carrots while soaking overnight as the purple cabbage would turn it grey because of the acid in the vinegar. Also adding some fresh cracked pepper to both, I may even try to split it and add mayo to one for a traditional slaw. I may even try it on some Smoked Pork shoulder that I made pulled pork from I have in the freezer. Great recipe, lots of room for experimenting.