Do Chua recipe – Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radishes

If you’ve eaten Vietnamese food, then you’ve likely at some point gotten an aroma of these spicy Vietnamese pickled daikon and carrots. They are typically found in Vietnamese banh mi but they are also served as a side dish for different recipes.

Sometimes , you’ll find it very heavy on carrots and very little daikon, however I prefer it in reverse ratio. You are free to do whatever you prefer however, I’ll show you how simple and fast you can make this recipe!

Do Chua literally translates to “pickled stuff.” Weird isn’t it? It’s not logical to me that there is generic name, since the ingredients that make up it are always the same-it’s always daikon and carrots.

However, just like pickles from other cuisines pickles are great with spicy or fatty food. It’s fantastic for Vietnamese sandwich (banh mi), savory crepes ( banh mi) as well as crepes that are savory ( banh xeo) barbecued pork, noodles ( bun thit nuong) eggs rolls ( cha gio) and on. Cuts of larger size are often placed next to the pieces of meat, and smaller pieces are added to Nuoc Cham (dipping sauce). Gỏi Mực Recipe – Vietnamese Squid Salad

Daikon vs. carrot ratios

I was able to learn that in Vietnam do chua, which is a Vietnamese dish, is mostly daikon, simply because it’s less expensive and carrots are added to add the color. In the US the prices of these vegetables are split therefore, shops and restaurants that are budget-conscious are likely to stock up on lower priced carrots.

In actual fact when my parents first came to the US many restaurants in California didn’t have daikon in any way. Certain people prefer it in this manner, and others have only seen it this way due to the particular Banh Mi stores they frequent.

Nowadays, the majority of restaurants I frequent employ a 50/50 mix of carrots and daikon. This is the recipe I was raised on and, in this dish, we’ll go to it for the sake of comfort. Before we begin we’ll take a look at a few suggestions about how to make Đồ chua.

Making this recipe your own

This recipe was developed by my mom to be slightly less sour and sweeter than the traditional recipe that you will get at many Vietnamese stores. The lower vinegar content is just a matter preference and can help the do chua last longer in the refrigerator before it is expired.

This recipe can also make do chua that can be added to the Nuoc Cham to your liking. You don’t have to squeeze out or wash the pickles before adding them.

If you’re on the go and you’re looking to eat these in the next few hours and don’t mind saving leftovers for the next day, you can adjust the recipe to a higher vinegar-to-water ratio.

Tips for preparing

Then, peel and shred your vegetables to the size you prefer. Cuts made with smaller matchsticks will be more sour than bigger ones. Utilize the mandolin slicer to make more even cuts. A high-quality mandolin, like that one I mentioned will be very sharp. You could also try an extremely sharp boxed grated also.

My aunt said she was frustrated and gave away her mandolin after a few times of trying it however, she was able to do it with her hands. I’ve since heard other stories from people I know to chefs on TV who have suffered the similar experience.

Yes , this mandolin is extremely risky, but they are just as dangerous as kitchen knives and your cholesterol intake in the event that you don’t use them in a safe manner. I always wear gloves that are (magical) cut-resistant glove that allows you to chop all vegetables down to tiny pieces and cut down on the amount of waste.

If you’re worried about cutting the tiny pieces on the mandolin, just reduce it to a size that you are comfortable with, then you can finish cutting off the smaller pieces with the normal chef’s knife.

Salting for moisture removal

Next, we’ll sprinkle salt over the carrots and daikon, and mix it well. This helps to eliminate some of the smell, as well as the color. If you allow it to sit more than 15 mins, the salt will be taken up. The same thing happens to the process we use with Japanese cucumber salad and Chinese cucumber salad!

Take note of how the carrots as well as the daikons lose their shape and become softer and wobblier after salt has worked its magic on the vegetables. They also release water. Cleanse thoroughly and gently squeeze the mixture in small batches to eliminate excessive water. If you take smaller portions by hand at each time, it might take a little longer, but it’s simpler to get rid of more water every time you squeeze.

Transfer to containers. You don’t have to leave much headroom at the topof the jar, therefore, be sure to fill the entire jar or divide it among smaller jars for gifts to your loved ones and family.

After that, add the vinegar solution until it covers all vegetables. If you’re running low of liquid, just add water that has been filtered to fill the containers.

The weather and the location you keep the jars, it will last for about 2 days until it’s sour enough to consume. Try a bite every 24-hours or for 12 hours to observe the development of the pickling.

If it’s extremely warm outside, it could be a long time before the days end. If it’s cold outside, it can take a long time. You can speed it up by activating the lightbulb in your oven and placing the jars in the vicinity. You can rotate the jars around so that you get the same amount of sunlight.

What is the food you’d like to eat in Do Chua?

There is literally everything. Do chua is fantastic in Vietnamese food items like sandwiches ( banh mi) and sweet crepes ( banh xeo) barbecued pork, noodles ( bun thit nuong) egg roll ( cha gio) and on. The larger cuts are typically placed next to the cuts of meat, while smaller shreds are placed in the Nuoc Cham (dipping sauce).

How long will the carrots that are picked last?

Pickled carrots last up to 5 weeks in the refrigerator however, provided they don’t been sour enough, it’s okay to consume them.

Are pickled vegetables healthy for you?

Pickled vegetables, such do chua, offer numerous health benefits because of the fermentation brine that produces healthy bacteria for your digestive tract and the overall health of your body. To make a quick pickle recipe, try this recipe. You can create Korean picked daikon as well.