Đồ chua
The classic pickles for the Vietnamese bánh mì baguette. Carrot and daikon matchsticks pickled in a brine of vinegar, sugar and salt — crunchy, sweet-sour and refreshing. They go into sandwiches, with grilled meat, spring rolls and noodle bowls, where they cut through richness. They are ready after an hour and best after a day. One trick: the vegetables are first kneaded with salt and sugar to release water — so they stay crunchy and the brine is not diluted.
Your own work in that: 5 min.
- Cutting into matchsticks 20 min
- Salting 10 min
- Brine 5 min
- Pickling 60 min
Step by step
0 / 8 donePeel the vegetables
Peel the carrots and daikon. The daikon should be firm and heavy — a light one can be spongy inside.
Ingredients: 300 g carrots · 300 g daikon radish · 1 tsp salt for kneading · 1 tsp sugar for kneading
Cut into matchsticks
Cut the vegetables into sticks about 5 mm thick and 6–7 cm long, just right for a baguette. Even sticks pickle in the same time.
Ingredients: 300 g carrots · 300 g daikon radish · 1 tsp salt for kneading · 1 tsp sugar for kneading
Even sticks — they pickle evenly.Knead with salt and sugar
Put the vegetables in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt and sugar and knead by hand 3–5 minutes, until they release water and bend without snapping.
Ingredients: 300 g carrots · 300 g daikon radish · 1 tsp salt for kneading · 1 tsp sugar for kneading
They bend without snapping — ready for the brine.Rinse and drain
Rinse the vegetables in cold water to wash off excess salt and drain well in a sieve.
Ingredients: 300 g carrots · 300 g daikon radish · 1 tsp salt for kneading · 1 tsp sugar for kneading
Make the brine
Dissolve the sugar and salt in the warm water, then add the vinegar. Do not boil — the brine should be just lukewarm.
Ingredients: 250 ml warm water · 250 ml rice or white vinegar, 6% · 100 g sugar · 1 tsp salt
Pack the jar
Pack the vegetables tightly into a scalded jar of about 1 litre and pour in the brine to cover them completely.
Ingredients: 250 ml warm water · 250 ml rice or white vinegar, 6% · 100 g sugar · 1 tsp salt
Fully under the brine — then into the fridge.Pickle
Close the jar and leave an hour at room temperature, then refrigerate. The pickles are good after an hour and best after a day.
Ingredients: 250 ml warm water · 250 ml rice or white vinegar, 6% · 100 g sugar · 1 tsp salt
Serve
Take the pickles out with a clean fork and drain off the brine. Serve with bánh mì, grilled meat, spring rolls, bún noodles or fried eggs.
Ingredients: 300 g carrots · 300 g daikon radish · 1 tsp salt for kneading · 1 tsp sugar for kneading
Before you start
Daikon smell
After a few days daikon in brine gives off a strong, sulphurous smell. That is normal and not a sign of spoilage — it fades a moment after opening the jar.
Less sweet
The Vietnamese version is quite sweet. For sharper pickles, cut the sugar in the brine to 60 g.
Storage
The pickles keep 3–4 weeks in the fridge, always covered with brine. They soften over time, so they are best in the first two weeks. Do not keep them in the pantry — the brine is mild and the jar is not pasteurised.