Đồ Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Carrot and Daikon)

Đồ Chua is Vietnamese Pickled Carrot and Daikon made to be eaten with everything savory! It’s bright, refreshing and incredibly easy to put together. The vegetables are submerged in a sweet and sour brine overnight, yet stay snap crunchy for months. Perfect to compliment dishes like noodle salads, meatball rolls or grilled meats, you’ll love having it in your fridge!

A jar we always keep stocked

I was really excited for this Đồ Chua recipe because after doing some heavy research into how other families make it, Mum turned around to tell me that she knew how! I don’t know why it never occurred to me to ask her first!

And when it comes to Mum’s cooking, I can rest assured that it’ll taste fantastic.

So let me repeat: I was REALLY excited.

But this recipe being authentic to a Vietnamese household is not the only reason why it’s worth getting excited about. Pickling vegetables is actually incredibly easy. In fact, it’s so easy that you’ll never want to buy it again!

Plus, if you make a large batch (with requires very little effort, might I add), you’ll have the luxury of enjoying it straight from the fridge whenever cravings strike. Or, better yet, gifting it to your nearest and dearest.

Alongside Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm), it’s the only other jar we always have in our refrigerator. The reasons why are pretty simple:

• Just like our sauces using scallions, dried scallops, Sichuan peppercorns or lemongrass, you can eat it with anything savory. You can even have it on its own as a snack!
• Straight out of the fridge, its cold and fresh crunch is the perfect palette cleanser in between rich side dishes like Thịt Kho (Braised Pork Belly and Eggs in Coconut Water), Cá Kho Tộ (Braised Fish), Tôm Rim Thịt (Caramelized Shrimp and Pork) and Tôm Rim (Caramelized Shrimp).
• Its wonderfully balanced sweet and sour flavors make light Summer meals even more refreshing.

See? There’s a reason why we always have it at home – it can be enjoyed all year round!

Which tools to use

At home, we keep a mandolin with different slicer attachments that we can change depending on the size of the julienne we’re after. This tool is great for Đồ Chua (or any kind of salad) that requires thinly julienned vegetables.

If you don’t have one, you can use a knife to cut the carrots and daikon into a thickness you prefer. Otherwise, some food processors also have the julienning option.

However you end up cutting the vegetables, they’ll all brine well in the pickling liquid!

Why this recipe works

• Salting the carrots and daikon extracts the liquid so the Đồ Chua stays crunchier for longer.
• Brining for more than 24 hours lets the sweet and sour flavor infuse into the vegetables for a stronger taste.
• Hot water quickly melts the sugar so you have a clear syrup without crystals.

What you’ll need

About the ratio

Every family’s Đồ Chua recipe is different because the taste is entirely up to personal preference. If you prefer it sweeter, add more sugar. For people who like the sharp tang, use more vinegar.

Modifications

You can mix things up by adding other vegetables or aromatics. Some popular examples include:

• Cauliflower
• Red shallots (like we did for our Chicken Salad)
• Garlic
• Chili
• Peppers
• Cucumber

How to make this recipe

Peel, then julienne the carrots and daikon. Ours are roughly 5mm (0.2″) thick, but you can make the pieces as thick or thin as you like.

Mix 1 tbsp salt into the cut vegetables and let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse in cold water and drain until dry.

While the ingredients are drying, mix together the hot water, sugar, 1/8 tbsp salt and vinegar. Stir until all the crystals have dissolved and let it cool to room temperature.

Put the dried vegetables in a jar (or container), then pour the brining liquid in, making sure to submerge everything. This will ensure that no piece is left unpickled.

Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

When serving, take out just the vegetables and enjoy it as it with your favorite savory dishes!

Recipe FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Taste the brine first. Before pouring it into the container, make sure to give it a taste. Adjust the Đồ Chua to preference, while keeping in mind that the flavors will be slightly concentrated in the carrots and daikon as it gets absorbed.
• Dry the vegetables as much as possible. We use a salad spinner along with paper towels to drain as much water out as we can, which will help them to stay crunchier for longer.
• Make sure the jar size is just right. By doing so, you won’t need to make as much brine because there won’t be too much excess space to fill up.

What to serve it with

• Embrace Đồ Chua as part of a wrap and roll banquet with vegetarian or non-vegetarian Chả Giò (Spring Rolls).
• Use it to balance out the rich flavor from Gà Kho Gừng (Vietnamese Ginger Chicken).
• Thịt Kho Mắm Ruốc (Pork with Shrimp Paste) is always best eaten with a refreshing side dish like pickled carrots and daikon.
• Have it on the side with Stuffed Chicken Wings or Cánh Gà Chiên Nước Mắm (Fish Sauce Chicken Wings).

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This post was originally published on 7/9/21 and updated with new photos in November 2022.

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