Pickles are important to Indian food, no matter which Indian cuisine you are enjoying. Most are made using various slow-pickling methods, but there are also a few quick pickles. Perhaps considered more of a salad than a real pickle, they add a delightful tang to meals which cuts through the heat of any accompaniment. I love this dish with vadai or other deep fried snacks – the acid of the lemon or lime is a great accompaniment to snacks.

This salad uses daikon (the white radish) with onion rings and carrot, quick pickled in lemon juice and spices. Here we have added pounded mustard seeds (rather than popped in oil) to give a true mustardy taste, but you could also make a tadka of mustard seeds and add to the finished pickle.

Similar dishes include Simmered Daikon Radish with Miso and Sesame Sauce, Onion Strings Quick Pickle, Green Apple Pickle, and Quince Pickle.

Browse all of our Indian pickles and all of our general Pickles. Our Indian recipes are here and our Indian Essentials here. Or take some time to browse our Late Spring recipes.

Indian Quick Daikon Radish and Onion Pickle with Turmeric, Ginger and Mustard Seed

ingredients

1 small – medium daikon radish, thinly sliced

1 small carrot, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 green chilli, chopped

2cm ginger root, very finely chopped

80ml fresh lime or lemon juice

2 tspn sugar

0.5 tspn Indian brown mustard seeds, pounded coarsely

0.25 tspn turmeric powder

1 tspn sea salt

method

Place the first five ingredients in a mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the salad and mix well.

Set aside for 30 mins to allow it to slightly pickle. Mix again and serve.