Pink Radish Pickles

Name: Pink Radish Pickles
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: Handful or 100g (red radishes); 1 tsp mirin; ¼ tsp caster sugar; ½ tsp soya sauce; Pinch of salt; 2 tsp rice vinegar

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Pickles are an easy way to add a vibrant crunch to any dish - rice, noodles, burgers. They instantly make everything taste more exciting. Lately, I’ve been having fun experimenting with different veggies for pickling. While this Japanese recipe usually calls for daikon radish, today I’m using pink radishes since that’s what I have on hand.

A white dish containing thinly sliced pink radish (with white flesh and pink skin), in some pink-brown coloured liquid.

There’s something especially satisfying about making pickles yourself. When choosing your pickling subject, try to go for the freshest option, and organic if you can. For these radish pickles, we'd normally be using daikon for a Japanese radish pickle, but any variety will work. Radishes come in shades of yellow, white, purple, green and pink and have their own subtle differences in flavor. These pink radishes are easy to find in many UK supermarkets. They have a lovely small, round shape, making them perfect for slicing thinly to achieve a great texture. They’re an ideal topping for dishes like these tofu steaks with rice or a donburi bowl.

Jump to:

Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Storage
Top tip
FAQ
Pink Radish Pickles

Ingredients

Serves 1-2 | Prep time 5 minutes | Cooking time 0 minutes

Handful or 100g (red) radishes
1tsp mirin
¼ teaspoon caster sugar
½ teaspoon soya sauce
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoon rice vinegar

Instructions

A large knife chopping a pink radish top on a wooden chopping board.

1. Wash your radishes then top and tail them.

A large kitchen knife thinly slicing up some radish with pink skin and white flesh.

2. Slice in to (very) thin discs.

A shallow white dish containing thinly sliced pink and white radish, sprinkled with some white seasoning powder.

3. Layer them onto a plate and sprinkle over the salt and sugar.

An action shot of thinly sliced pink and white radishes being stirred in some yellowish liquid in a shallow white dish.

4. Pour over the rest of the ingredients, then stir and leave for a few minutes.

A bowl of rice, tofu and vegetables, topped with sliced pink radish pickles.

5. Serve immediately or leave for a few more hours to let the flavors develop.

These radishes are the perfect addition to any donburi bowl. I always keep a jar in the fridge—they make a simple rice or noodle lunch feel so much more exciting.

Hint: Slice the radishes super thin - aim for about a milimeter or two. Thinner slices means the radishes will take less time to absorb the flavors. Using a mandolin on the thinnest setting works really well for this step, and I'd recommend it especially if you are not confident using a knife to slice so thinly or would just prefer to not use one.

Substitutions

Sugar - you can skip the sugar all together but personally I do think some sweetness provides a nice contrast against the saltiness of your pickle. I'd recommend using an alternative to sugar like stevia, agave nectar, coconut sugar, maple syrup or honey instead.
Soy sauce - If you want to avoid soy, replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or tamari which both provide a fine substitute for the role of soy sauce in this recipe. Adjust the amount to taste.

Variations

Spicy - As someone with a penchant for heat, I must advocate for the inclusion of spice wherever possible, and this dish is no exception. A sliver or two of scotch bonnet pepper can transform it, elevating the flavors to unparalleled heights of deliciousness.
Vegetables - This recipe will work with a variety of other firm vegetables. Carrots, beets, onions, cabbage and cucumber offer fantastic avenues for experimentation!

Storage

If you can resist eating them all at once, you can keep your radish pickles in the fridge for 4-5 days or more. Just wrap them well or store in a jar to keep them fresh. You can also make bigger batches and enjoy them over a week or two.

Top tip

Soy sauce brands can vary greatly in saltiness, so you might need more or less than the amount suggested in this recipe to get the flavor you want. Rice vinegars also differ in sweetness, so a little taste test and adjustment can help you get the perfect balance of flavors in your pickles.

FAQ

What types of radish are best for pickling?

The short answer is any type of radish will work well for pickling! In this recipe I used pink radishes, but traditionally in Japanese cooking we would use the white or pink daikon variety. It can be hard to find daikon to buy sometimes, so I will always happily recommend and settle myself on using any radish that is available, or other types of firm vegetables such as carrots or cabbage.