When you want a salty-sweet addition to your food, look to these bits of golden radish. The pickle is made using the packaged salted radish, commonly labeled salted or preserved turnip, sold at Chinese and Vietnamese markets (check the dried vegetable aisle). The plastic packages come in different sizes, and the radishes are packed in a variety of forms, from minced to whole. I prefer to start out with chunky thick strips the size of a finger and cut them myself. Don’t be put off by any musty smells emanating from the package. After the contents are rinsed, soaked in water, and seasoned, the off odor disappears and the crisp strips become a wonderful and rather delicate treat. In less than an hour, the radish is ready for eating or long-term storage. I snack on the strips straight from the jar, or serve them with rice or chopped up in bowls of Hanoi Special Rice Noodle Soup (page 217).
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 1 1/4 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the radish in a colander and rinse with cold running water. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and add boiling water to cover by 1 inch. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the radish to soften and expand a little. Drain and, if necessary, cut the radish into strips about 1/4 inch wide and 2 inches long.
Step 2
Return the strips to the bowl, add the sugar, fish sauce, and ginger, and toss to coat the strips evenly. After 10 to 15 minutes, they are ready to eat. Don’t expect much liquid because the radish soaks up most of the fish sauce.
Step 3
To store the radish, tightly pack the strips and the seasonings into a small glass jar and refrigerate for up to 6 months. When using them, remove strips from the bottom of the jar, which will be more flavorful. After you pull out what you need, stir the remainder around in the jar to expose them evenly to the seasonings. If the radish strips get too salty, rinse briefly with water before eating.
