Fermented Daikons – Daikon Pickles

If you want to know what a daikon, a long white radish, looks like, see the bottom of this post.

Earlier this summer the organic stand at the local farmers market was selling daikon radishes. I bought one and made fermented daikons. They are easy to make – you just need salt, water, a jar with a wide opening and a baby food jar. Some people buy special fermenting jars. I’ve been pickling for about three years, and I haven’t had the need to buy one.

Don’t have a daikon? If you have local produce, I bet there is something there you could pickle!

Ingredients and Equipment

• 1 daikon
• 1 tbsp. sea salt
• enough water to cover the daikon
• 1 wide-mouthed jar (I use canning jars)
• 1 baby food jar
• 1 thin, clean cloth
• 1 rubber band

How to make fermented daikons (daikon pickles)

Cut daikon into slices. Place in jar along with sea salt. Cover with water. Put baby food jar into the canning jar. You need to make sure the daikon slices are floating under the water. You don’t want to expose them to the air. Cover the jar with a cloth and a rubber band to hold the cloth in place.

Put the daikon in brine (sea salt water) in a corner of your kitchen where you won’t forget it. You don’t want it in the refrigerator, or else it won’t ferment. In my kitchen in the summer it usually takes a week for it to taste like a pickle. If you have never fermented before, check it every day after the first three days to see if you think it is ready (you can take a taste of the water or a slice to taste test).

When you do think it is ready, put it in the refrigerator. Serve the pickles at room temperature. Enjoy!

This post was written so I would have something to submit to Batya’s next edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival.