Daikon Turnip Pickles
Recently, I completed a 10-day winter reset using Macrobiotic and Ayurvedic principles in the food I prepared, and my husband and I ate. In Macrobiotics, founded by George Osawa, one of the main principles is to be in harmony with nature. Also, what is emphasized is an acid, alkaline balance as well as the selection of foods which are considered anti-inflammatory, organic, and locally sourced when possible and based on combining healthy traditional food, including fresh vegetables, whole grains or their products, beans, fruit, nuts, seeds, pickles, fermented foods, herbs, seasonings, sea vegetables, and teas. Read more comprehensively about the principles here.
In the Ayurvedic diet, which has been around for thousands of years, the focus is on bringing the three different body types into balance. In Ayurveda like in Macrobiotics, red meat, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods are discouraged in favor of choosing whole foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Learn more of the guidelines here.
I thoroughly enjoyed incorporating the various elements from both of these ways of eating during the reset and felt nourished rather than depleted as I often do during and after a cleanse.
One of the cookbooks I turned to over and over again was Kansha: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions by Elizabeth Andoh. Kansha which means gratitude in Japanese, is indeed one of the cornerstone ideologies of macrobiotics.
I turned to my kitchen garden terrace, where I am growing a variety of root vegetables for the Quick Fix Pickles: Fruity, Sweet-and-Sour Daikon on page 194.
With an abundance of daikon, I have made these pickles numerous times, modifying the recipe to my own dietary guidelines which include eliminating refined sugar, trading it out for monk fruit sweetener in the recipe. I also chose to add some turnips as they have been plentiful in my garden as well.
The pickles are crispy, sweet, and tart and hit the spot topped on my morning grain bowls and garnished in miso soup. Elizabeth Andoh’s addition of apple adds such a unique touch, and I threw in some mizuna flowers for a pop of yellow color, as some of the mizuna lettuce is going to seed.
I truly enjoy personalizing recipes and encourage you to do the same. It is well broadcasted now that fermented foods can do a wonder for the gut microbiome. Bring some pickles into your kitchen and diet. I also, chose to double this recipe so I could have more to share and enjoy.
Serves 8-12/ preparation time 30 minutes/ pickle time 30 minutes to 24 hours/ last up to a week in the fridge
Recipe excerpted and adapted from Kansha by Elizabeth Andoh
Gather
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup / 100ml Kombu stock (*recipe below) or water
2 drops coconut amino acids
2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener
4-6 strips of lemon
2-inch square of Kombu seaweed
1 small green apple, peeled, thinly sliced, and cut into matchsticks
2 teaspoons kosher of Maldon salt
2 medium sized daikon radishes, unpeeled, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced crosswise into thin half-moons.
4 turnips, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into thin half moons
Make
Prepare the marinade: Combine the vinegar, stock or water, coconut aminos, monk fruit sweetener, lemon peel and kombu in a small sauce pan over low heat, stirring until the monk fruit sweetener dissolves. Turn off the flame and allow to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a 1-pint glass canning jar and allow to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
Place the apples, daikon and turnips in a small bowl and toss with the salt. Let this sit for about 10 minutes. Lightly press and squeeze your mixture to help with the sweating. Drain the mixture in a small colander and press out excess liquid.
Place the apples, daikon, and turnips into the jar. Place the combo on top to keep everything submerged and marinate room temperature for at least 30 minutes. At this point you may also refrigerate them and marinate them up to 24 hours.
*Kombu stock
(Makes about 4 cups)
In a large mason jar place 6 dried shiitake mushrooms and 2 large pieces of Kombu seaweed plus 4 cups water and allow to sit for 4 hours. Use or transfer to fridge.
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