Easy Vietnamese Pickles (Do Chua)

If you are looking for an easy way to preserve fresh delicious produce, then you should try pickling. It is a method of food preservation wherein vegetables, meat, seafood or fruits are soaked and fermented in a brine or vinegar solution. Pickling has been around for more than 4000 years and it has been one of the easiest ways to preserve food for a longer period of time. Although pickling was intended mainly for food preservation, pickles are made and eaten because people enjoy the texture and flavor. It is also said that pickling can improve the nutritional value of food as the fermentation produces B vitamins and beneficial bacteria.

So instead of buying jarred pickles from the grocery store, follow this recipe so you can easily make basic Vietnamese pickles. These pickles are a perfect condiment for fried, grilled or steamed dishes. They can also be used in sandwiches.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of julienned carrots
• 1 ½ cups of julienned daikon radish
• 1 ½ cups of water
• 1 ½ cups of distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

This recipe takes about 10 minutes to make. The vegetables need to pickle for at least 1 hour in the fridge. Serves 3 cups of pickles.

In a large bowl, whisk together water, distilled white vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
Put carrots and radishes in a bowl or jar.
Pour in the vinegar mixture.
Cover the bowl or jar with a lid.
Store in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Ideas And Tips:

• The pickles can store in the fridge for up to a month. Make sure to put them in a sealed container.

• You can use the vinegar solution for other fresh produce such as asparagus, beans, beets, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, artichoke hearts, eggplant, mushrooms, papaya, garlic, ginger, onions, okra, peaches or pineapples.

images – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A25IjGl8Z_U