Daikon radish is one of the most popular and economical winter seasonal veggie in Japan!
Daikon radish is crunchy when raw then becomes sweet and tender when cooked!
This post is all about daikon radish!! Here are the topics!
1. When Daikon radish in season?
2. What are the health benefits in eating daikon radish?
3. How do you store daikon radish?
4. How do you cook and eat daikon radish?
<1. When is daikon radish in season?>
There are technically 2 seasons for daikon radish but winter is when it's more popular and widely available.
・ November-March (Japan)
・ July-August (Japan)
<2;.What are the health benefits in eating daikon radish?>
-The root of daikon radish is rich in vitamin C and digestive enzymes.
Vitamin C will protect you from catching a cold since it boosts the immune system.
-The leaves of the daikon radish contains carotene, vitamin C, calcium and dietary fiber.
The leaves are bitter.
<3; How do you store daikon radish?>
Keep the daikon radish whole
Wrap with newspaper and store the daikon radish at a cool temperature for 1 week. Storing the daikon radish upright is preferable.
Once you cut the daikon radish
Separate the leaves from the root. For root part, wrap up with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
For leaf part, I recommend to cook or blanch right away. The leaf part of daikon radish will wilt very quickly.
<4. How do you cook and eat daikon radish?>
Root part of daikon radish
If you divide the daikon radish into 3 part, the top part is sweeter than the bottom.
The top part:
It’s the sweetest part and is a little tough in texture. This part is best used in a salad or as grated daikon radish for a topping.
The middle part:
It is still sweet but not as sweet as the top part. The texture is crunchy but relatively soft.
It's great for making braised daikon radish or hotpot.
The bottom part:
The bottom part of a daikon radish has a little pungency in taste. It’s great for giving a kick to any dish. I like to grate mine and eat it with grilled fish.
The leaf part:
The leaves are more nutritious than the root. You definitely want to take advantage of it!
It has a bitterness and unique aroma. It might not be kid friendly. I don’t eat as raw because of it's aroma. To me, it’s similar to kale. My go-to recipe using leaf part of daikon radish is as a topping for rice.
Here is the recipe!
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2020/11/24 MIWA