Orange-Picked Radishes
橘子腌萝卜
English: Orange-Picked Radishes
Chinese: 橘子腌萝卜
Pinyin: juzi yan luobo
Literal: Orange-Picked Radishes
Radishes, both red and white, are one of the few vegetables that thrive in Northern China’s cold climate. This made them one an essential crop in the North, especially as the cooler months rolled in. Radishes store well; however, it was common to pickle or salt them to extend their life further into the dark depths of January and February. Radishes may not be a vegetable we often associate with Chinese cuisine, but they’ve always been there—quietly essential, yet rarely celebrated.
As I’ve said before on Tea & Oranges, growing up in the UK, my experience with radishes were rather uninspiring. They appeared sporadically in salads or, on occasion, served with butter at fancy dinner parties. But in Northern China, their versatility is embraces: they’re added to braises, stir-fried, pickled or made into crispy pancakes as in Crispy Radish Fritters.
Raw radishes can be peppery, and some of that spice lingers in this pickle, although it’s softer and buried under the sharp vinegar tang and sweet orange fragrance. The result is indulgent—a treat that feels festive, like a culinary nod to the holidays. In China, this dish is often served during Spring Festival, not only for its delicious flavour but also for its vibrant appearance. The pink pickle juice, bright red hasselbacked radishes and strips of vibrant orange zest is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.
Serves 4
Ingredients
300g small radishes
3g salt
70g white sugar
50ml white rice vinegar
½ an orange (peel only)
Method
Choose smaller radishes for this. Older radishes can be almost golf-balls, which is a bit too big, I prefer grape-sized ones that as the pickle can penetrate them in a shorter time, and they’re easier to pick up with chopsticks. Wash the radishes and then top and tail them.
Take one radish and place it on a chopping board with a flat side down so it doesn’t wobble. With a sharp knife, make vertical cuts into the flesh, as many as you can, slicing the knife eighty percent of the way through the radish without cutting all the way. This is basically ‘hasselbacked’ radishes. Repeat with all the radishes.
Add the radishes to a bowl, sprinkle with the salt and leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Pour away any pooled water, then wash the radishes a few times to remove the salt. Keep the drained radishes in the mixing bowl.
Rub the whole orange skin with salt. Then slice the orange in half, remove the flesh and then slice into long, thin strips (as thin as you can cut).
Prepare the sugar and vinegar. Add them to the mixing bowl with the radishes along with the orange peel. Mix it all together with your hands, making sure you give it all a good rub. Cover the mix and put into the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
A pinkish liquor will pool in the bowl, and the radishes turn a vibrant red when they’re ready. Serve without the liquid.
