Pickled Radish
I had some radishes left over from making the perilla kimchi and wanted to use it up before it went bad. Our whole family loves pickled radish, especially as a side dish. Traditionally, it’s said to improve digestion and clear your palate. Normally it’s done with daikon or another asian radish, but american radishes (or turnips) are great this way too. Sweet and crunchy, the bitter mustard pungency is mellowed out and makes for a great accompaniment to anything grilled or fried.
You can add other spices to it (purple shiso, peppercorns, garlic, bell peppers) or keep it plain. The brine can be used to pickle a lot of things–carrots, cucumbers, garlic cloves etc.
By the way, I’m sure you’ve noticed the jars by now–I’m starting to remove as much plastic as I can from our lives and that means moving from tupperware to glass. One thing I haven’t been able to find is glass containers that don’t use steel (which rusts) as a cover or without silicone as a seal. Then I found these jars at Home Goods and bought them–while they are not water or airtight, they keep pickled things and sauces/gravies very well. If you wanted to seal them without plastic, a piece of beeswax cloth under the cover works. I bought all the ones that they had and might go back to check for more when I have time, but so far I’m very please with them. If they break and get thrown out, they simply return to their original form over time–sand.
Recipe
- 10 radishes, sliced thin
- 1 cup rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
- Sweet or hot peppers (optional)
- Cucumbers (optional)
- 1 teaspoon wasabi paste (optional)
- 4-5 crushed szechuan peppercorn (optional)
- 2-3 leaves shiso (optional)
1. In a saucepan (or in the microwave), combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
2. Place the sliced radishes into a jar or container, and pour the vinegar mixture over until everything is covered. Refrigerate. Pickle for at least an hour before using.
Apple cider vinegar will make a cloudier brine, which looks less beautiful than refined rice wine vinegar but that’s okay. It tastes delicious either way.