Delicious Daikon & How to Savour It

Native to East Asia, shaped like a large white carrot, easy to cook with a subtle natural sweetness and mellow taste, it’s no wonder that Daikon is among the most beloved Asian root vegetables. Especially favoured in Japanese cuisine, from which the name derives and translates to ‘big root’. Although commonly white in colour, different Daikon variants may also come in red, green and purple. Not to be confused with the red radish – which we’ll get to in a bit.

Daikon Goodness

Daikon is a powerhouse of nutrition. Low in fat and carbs, high in Vitamin C and potassium, as well as decent amounts of fibre, folate, calcium and magnesium. Consuming Daikon can help improve your overall health, promote weight loss, and may even reduce the chance of chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

The Difference between Daikon & Other Radishes

Daikon belongs to the radish family. Close cousins include the Korean Mu which tastes like Daikon but shaped more like potatoes; the Red Radish which are smaller in size and peppery to taste; and the Chinese Shinrimei or watermelon radish that has a thick green outer skin and pink on the inside, with a mellower flavour than Daikon.

Among them, however, Daikon is perhaps the most popular and can be found across Asia and around the world.

How to Pick & Store Daikon

Daikon is widely available in Australian groceries and supermarkets. Just head to the produce section and you’ll find fresh whole Daikon-s abound. Pick one that is sturdy to touch, weighty to hold, and without stains or blemishes on the skin.

To ensure your Daikon stays fresh, wrap it in a damp kitchen towel and keep it in your fridge. You’re unlikely to finish a whole Daikon in one meal, so just cut the portion you want for each  cooking session and return it to the fridge. It can last up to 2 weeks, and you can cook a variety of dishes with Daikon!

Yummies You Can Make with Daikon

Pickles

Pickled Daikon is a classic Japanese side dish in the Ichiju Sansai meal set. Tangy zest with a crunchy bite. There’s also the Kohaku Namasu pickled Daikon salad with carrots, and its similar Vietnamese cousin dish, Do Chua – both amazing appetizers and snacks, with the carrots’ natural sweet flavour to balance the pickled sour.

Meanwhile, Chinese Hakka cuisine loves to dice up Daikon-s, rub them with salt over 2-3 days to draw out the moisture, then sun-dry to preserve them. Bottled and sold as a crispy, snappy ingredient with a savoury oomph. Perfect to yummify dishes, and tasty to stir-fry with chilli for a savoury spicy pairing with rice.

Simmer & Braise

When cooked in prolonged heat, fresh Daikon softens into a tender munch with a mild mellow sweetness and earthy aroma. Have it umami with chicken in this Japanese simmered comfort dish. Braise the Daikon with beef and carrot in this sumptuous and richly savoury Chinese delight. Or braise it with pork mince in this mellow yet tasty Japanese side.

Soup & Stew

Daikon is awesome in soups and stews as well, with its natural flavour and aroma imbued into the soup as you cook. Have a warm sip of cosy comfort and wholesome munch with this Japanese veggie soup, packed with Daikon, potato, baby taro, konjac, carrot and tofu. Indulge in a scrumptious hearty bowl of noodles soup in this beloved Hong Kong beef brisket special. Or enjoy a thick umami Japanese miso stew with pork, Daikon, carrot, burdock root, shiitake shrooms, and konjac.

Speciality Snack: Daikon Radish Cake

Besides the comforting goodies above, Chinese cuisine also has a unique way to enjoy Daikon – grated, dried, and mixed with rice flour, tapioca flour and water to form a paste. Then cooked with Chinese sausage, shiitake shrooms and dried shrimp into this special radish cake. Every bite is a soft blast of savoury yum. Delicious for breakfast or tea time snack.

More Root Vegetable Goodness

Besides Daikon, Asians also enjoy a variety of root vegetables – all wholesome, tasteful goodies you should add to your home-cook menu! Come discover the awesomeness of sweet potato, and how it differs from Taro and Yam. Also have a taste of our sensational top 10 Asian dishes with potatoes!