Noodlepedia
A glossary of both familiar and lesser-known Asian ingredients and terms.
Pickled Daikon
Crunchy white radish pickled in vinegar, sugar, and salt. Sweet, tangy, and a little funky — a staple in Korean and Japanese cuisine.
Pro Tip: Try it in sandwiches (banh mi, anyone?) for a punch of crunch and acidity that cuts through rich flavors.
How to Use It:
- Serve with sushi or kimbap
- Add to rice bowls or bento boxes
- Chop into salads or slaws for zing
1. Korean-Inspired Spam & Pickled Daikon Musubi
Vibe: Salty-sweet-savory heaven with a vinegary crunch that completely changes the game. Perfect for snacks, lunchboxes, or a midnight fridge raid.
🛒 Ingredients:
1 can Spam, sliced and pan-fried
1 cup cooked sushi rice
Store-bought pickled daikon, sliced into strips or thin rounds
2 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp sugar (for glazing Spam)
1 sheet nori, cut into strips
👩🍳 Instructions:
Pan-fry Spam slices until golden. Add soy sauce and sugar to the pan to glaze them.
Form small rice blocks with your hands or a mold.
Layer rice, a strip of pickled daikon, and a slice of Spam.
Wrap with a strip of nori to hold it together.
Eat warm or chilled—it hits either way.
🍱 Why it hits: The daikon’s acidity balances the richness of the Spam and rice—chef’s kiss level fusion snack.
2. Pickled Daikon & Tofu Rice Bowl with Chili Crisp
Vibe: Clean, spicy, funky, and super satisfying. This one’s vegan-friendly but big on flavor and texture.
🛒 Ingredients:
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 block tofu, pan-fried or air-fried until crispy
Store-bought pickled daikon, chopped or sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1–2 tsp chili crisp (or sriracha)
Optional: avocado, cucumber, scallions, sesame seeds
👩🍳 Instructions:
Layer cooked rice in a bowl.
Add crispy tofu, daikon, and any other toppings you like.
Drizzle with soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili crisp.
Toss gently or serve as-is with chopsticks.
🌶️ Why it works: The tangy daikon cuts through the rich tofu and chili oil like a dream. It brings brightness and crunch to every bite.