Quick Pickled Daikon Radish with Lemon

What Does Pickled Daikon Taste Like?

These quick pickled daikon radish are crunchy and addictive! We bet you just can't eat just one!

You are just going to love these quick pickles as they are delicate in flavor, super refreshing and are a fabulous palate cleanser from one dish to the next.

These Japanese pickles are milder than pickled red radishes you would taste in the States. But, daikon radish pickles do have just a little kick at the end.

Most interesting to note, the flavor of these quick pickles continues to develop after a day or two. They become more lemony and refreshing as they sit in the refrigerator. In addition, they get that little funky Asian sweet, sour, savory, spicy flavor that we all crave.

Yuzu is a citrus fruit that originated in Asia. This prized fruit looks like a bumpy lemon with the zest and aroma that is sweet, floral and aromatic. Yuzu has lots more seeds compared to a lemon. The flavor is very complex with a combination of lemon, orange and grapefruit notes making it the perfect addition to crisp daikon radish pickle.

Yuzu is a very common ingredient used in Japanese cooking, soba salads, dipping sauces and marinades. But if you are not living in Asia, this ingredient can be very difficult to sources. So, let's talk about some substitutions.

• Use a regular lemon or Meyer lemon zest and juice for a refreshing twist.
• Try adding a mixture of lemon and grapefruit or lemon an pomelo for a closer flavor to the Yuzu citrus fruit.

Please Note: The brine will turn cloudy with the addition of citrus juice, like our Vietnamese pickled shrimp and vegetables, but it is so DELICIOUS! So who cares?!

Daikon Radish

Daikon is a mild flavored winter Asian Radish. Compared to the little regular red radishes, it's mellow in flavor with just a little bite at the end. Daikon are usually long and white but some can be found fat and short, like in our Vegan Chinese Radish Cake recipe, depending on where they originated from from.  

If you have some leftover Daikon, it's delicious grated into a little ponzu sauce as a dip. Try cutting it up and putting it into hot pot broth, sukiyaki, or in our Five Spiced Beef Daikon Noodle Soup. . You can buy daikon radish at any Asian market but we have found them right at our local grocery store in the States.

What to Serve with Pickled Daikon?

Some of favorite dishes to serve with quick refrigerator pickled daikon are Yakitori, miso soup, tuna mayo rice balls, grilled meats and fish, and a reader's favorite Beef pepper lunch.

That is not the only way to serve this unique quick Japanese pickle. We love adding a few slices of pickles directly in our Wasabi Mayo Crab Onigirazu or try a few tossed in our Super Easy Crab Salad. You are going to love that little extra crunch!

Types of Pickled Daikon

Pickled daikon varies widely across Asian cuisine, from fermented pickles to no cook quick pickles.

• Japanese pickled daikon (takuan) are traditionally fermented with salt, rice bran and kombu, that makes them, taste a little bit fresh like the sea. They are sometimes bright yellow and are lightly sweet.
• Korean pickled daikon (danmuji) are crisp, sweet and tangy. These pickles made the traditional way with a brine of turmeric, sugar and vinegar which is different from our quick eat the same day Korean pickles.
• Vietnamese pickled daikon and carrots (do chua) is crisp, sweet and tart pickle using a brine. If you want to kick that idea up a few notches, be sure to try our Vietnamese pickled shrimp and vegetables.
• Quick refrigerator pickled daikon is made with quick vinegar, lemon, salt and sugar brine that lets the refrigerator do all the work. We must say this lemony pickled daikon radish recipe hits the flavor notes almost spot on. We are delighted!

Do You Like Refrigerator Pickles?

If so, you are in luck. We are on a refrigerator pickle roll. If you have not read our Spicy Garlic Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles or our Gingered Red Onion Pickled Golden Beets be sure to check it out. You are going to love that zesty, garlicky, spicy and perfect on top of any sandwich or as a side to any Asian inspired meal.