Anyone that’s ever ate Banh Mi has probably had pickled carrots & daikon. They probably also know how amazing these fermented veggies are. Just like pickles that you may be more familiar with, Do Chua is tangy and contains the perfect balance of salty & sweet.

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Unlike some fermented veggies, Do Chua only takes a couple of days to ferment. Plus, they’re refrigerator pickles, which means you don’t have to worry about them growing mold or smelling up your whole house.

By the way, are you curious what “Do Chua” means in Vietnamese? No, you say? Okay cool, Ima tell you anyways. Do Chua directly translates to “sour things” in English.

I know what you’re thinking – why can’t English be just as simple!?

While pickled anything sounds intimating, these only require 10 minutes of prep time and a 48 hour soak time, which is pretty much nothing in the world of pickles. (Although, we think they’re best when they’re soaked for 4-5 days.)

Time to start pickling! We have a recipe coming out Tuesday that puts these babies to good use, as well as a couple more later on this month!

“This is one heck of a pickle.”
Ryan

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Sugar-Free Pickled Daikon & Carrots (Do Chua)

  • Servings: 1 lb
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Tangy, and perfectly salty & sweet refrigerator pickles that go great with many Vietnamese dishes.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb carrots (about 1 large carrot)
  • 1/2 lb daikon
  • 3 tbsp Swerve or other low-carb sweetener
  • 2 tbsp salt*
  • 1/2 c + 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 4 c warm, clean water

Directions

  1. Wash and peel both the daikon and carrot. Cut them into thin matchstick pieces using the julienne insert on a mandolin or a handheld julienne peeler (like this one).
  2. Alternatively, you could cut thin slices out of the carrot and daikon, then cut each slice vertically into thin strips.
  3. Add Swerve, salt, and warm water to a large mason jar, place on a lid, and shake to dissolve the solids.
  4. Pour the vinegar and all of the carrots and daikon into the jar. Seal on the lid and shake again to throughly combine everything. If necessary, divide liquid and veggies between two mason jars.
  5. Ferment in fridge for at least 48 hours and up to 6 days. Start tasting after 48 hours for desired flavor; the longer they sit, the more pungent they become. We found that 4 days gave our veggies their best, pungent flavor.
  6. Once your Do Chua’s done fermenting, drain out the excess liquid, leaving only a little bit left for moisture.
  7. Store drained Do Chua in the fridge for up to a month!

*We used medium-coarse salt, so if you’re going to use fine or table salt, reduce the amount down to 1 1/2 tablespoons.

*Recipe based off of White on Rice’s recipe for Do Chua. Thanks for providing such a solid recipe for this Vietnamese classic, you guys!