Sweet Makes: Japanese Daikon Radish Pickles

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I have been having some serious cravings lately. One of them was one I hadn't had in probably 15 years: Japanese Daikon Radish Pickles! They have a very peculiar additive taste that cannot be matched by any ordinary pickle. When I was a little girl, we traveled to Seoul, Korea to visit my stepfather's family and we had these pickles upon arrival. ( and of course kimchi, YUM!) I was amazed at the sweet, salty, and crunchy taste these exotic little unassuming pickles held.

If you are headed to a BBQ or picnic make a batch of these and people will think you are the missing talented spawn of Martha Stewart or that you've been reading Saveur for years. Amazingly enough, they are super simple ( and CHEAP! ) to make....

Japanese Daikon Radish Pickles 

*Now where do you find these lovely radishes? Local natural food store or an asian market. You may have to ask. Look for ones that are completely white in color and are firm and not rubbery. They run around $2 a pound.

2  Large Daikon Radishes
1 Cup Rice Wine vinegar ( plain)
2 TBSP Sesame seeds
2 heaping TBSP white Sugar
optional: Feel free to infuse any citrus or herbs in as well, I enjoy mine plain)

Wash and peel the skin from your radishes with a potato peeler. Slice thinly into rounds or sticks. Pile them into a big mason jar and prepare your pickling juice in a separate bowl. Whisk well and then pour into the jar. Be sure to allow your pickles to sit in the mixture for at least 24 hours. Turn the pickle jar upside-down frequently to allow all the pickles to steep.  Pickles can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Serve with sandwiches, rice, or eat right out of the jar!