What Is Daikon?
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Most radishes in the U.S. are known for their red skin and round shape, but have you ever tried the long and white Asian variety called daikon? Discover the various benefits and culinary uses of daikon, and why it’s worthwhile to add to your diet.
You may know it as an Oriental radish, but daikon (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) actually goes by many names, including mooli, Satsuma radish, Chinese radish and most notably, Japanese radish. IN fact, daikon is Japanese for “big root.”
New Larousse Gastronomique,” 2018
“Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants: Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs,” 2014
“Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs,” 2006
Daikon is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean regions and eventually spread to Asian countries like Japan, China and Korea, where it is utilized in various dishes.
It is easily distinguished from other radishes by its large, vibrant green leaves and a long white root, resembling a pale carrot. Daikon can grow up to 18 inches long, and weigh 1 to 4 pounds.
“The Cambridge World History of Food, Volume 2,” 2000
“The Kimchi Cookbook: 60 Traditional and Modern Ways to Make and Eat Kimchi,” 2012
Daikon’s flavour is considered milder and less peppery than other radishes Served raw, it is subtle and tangy with a crisp and juicy texture. When cooked, it tastes similar to cooked turnips.
“Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs,” 2006
Although the root is the most utilized part of daikon, it is technically a cruciferous vegetable.
In Asian countries, the root is commonly pickled and eaten as a side dish, or grated, cubed, or thinly sliced for addition to main dishes
Nevertheless, the leaves should not be thrown away, as they offer their own plethora of health benefits.
“Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen: Recipes from the East for Health, Healing, and Long Life,” 2010
You can enjoy daikon sprouts (called “kaiware” by the Japanese), which have a pungent and peppery flavour that adds a kick to sandwiches and salads. They are best consumed raw or used as garnish.
“Simply Hot Pots: A Complete Course in Japanese Nabemono and Other Asian One-Pot Meals,” 2019
Daikon Health Benefits
You can’t go wrong with adding daikon to your favourite meals, as it offers a multitude of nutrients that can be advantageous to your health.
Daikon is known to help boost a weak digestive system. A 2017 study also learned that isothiocyanates, which give daikon its peppery and pungent qualities, were found to help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
“Simply Hot Pots: A Complete Course in Japanese Nabemono and Other Asian One-Pot Meals,” 2019
Phytomedicine. 2017 Jun 15;29:1-10
Daikon also contains considerable amounts of potassium, vitamin C and phosphorus1— nutrients essential for good health.
While you may think that daikon’s benefits are only available through the root, you’ll be surprised to learn that its leaves have impressive nutritional value, too.
They’re actually loaded with vitamin A, which is essential for eye health, and vitamin C, iron and calcium.
“Vegetable Literacy: Cooking and Gardening with Twelve Families from the Edible Plant Kingdom,” 2013
Daikon may help optimize your well-being by:
Boosting digestive health — Daikon may help facilitate better digestion of proteins and fats, which in turn helps inhibit constipation. Its antioxidants were also found to help trigger bile flow, which is essential in breaking down and absorbing fats.
“The Complete Book of Juicing, Revised and Updated: Your Delicious Guide to Youthful Vitality,” 2013
“Powerful Constipation Natural Remedies,” 2014 J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Dec 27;54(26):9773-8
“Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care,” 2006
Assisting in detoxification — as a diuretic, daikon may help stimulate urination, which is necessary for keeping the kidneys clean.
“Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care,” 2006
Bolstering your immunity — Daikon’s antibacterial and antifungal properties may help reduce the risk of bone or joint infections, gastroenteritis, meningitis and pneumonia.
Pak. J. Bot. 2005;40(4):1793-1798
Promoting bone and skin health — Its high calcium content may help alleviate osteoporosis.The liquid from boiled daikon leaves is also known to help reduce excess skin oils and doors.
Pak J Med Sci. 2014 Jul-Aug; 30(4): 763-768
“The Macrobiotic Way: The Complete Macrobiotic Lifestyle Book,” 2004
Helping with weight management — Daikon is a low-calorie and low-cholesterol vegetable, but it is high in fiber and many other nutrients — qualities that are ideal for people who want to maintain a healthy weight.
World Health Organization, October 23, 2018
The most common use for daikon is so ubiquitous that it’s hardly thought of as cooking: daikon oroshi (raw grated).
Daikon oroshi is used as a condiment in many meat and fish dishes, as well as a refreshing addition to tempura sauce (tentsuyu) and soba noodle sauce.
This way of using grated raw daikon seems to have started when it was thought to aid digestion. It turns out that this belief was right.
Daikon is an excellent source of the digestive enzymes diastase, amylase and esterase.
These enzymes become much easier to absorb when the daikon is grated.
Grated daikon is good with a rich, oily fish — like mackerel — but it’s also great on steaks, hamburgers and other meat dishes. It’s similar to horseradish, but less pungent.
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Thank you … Radishes most likely originated in the Mediterranean region, but they had already reached Japan by the 3rd or 4th century — although initially only the green tops were eaten.
The tender young leaves of the radish plant have been included as one of the nanakusa, the seven herbs that are traditionally eaten in rice porridge in January to wish for health and longevity during the year.
While the greens are rich in vitamins and minerals, the most versatile part of the vegetable is the root.
Daikon come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from the standard type, which are about 10-15 cm in diameter, to the huge Sakurajima variety, which looks like a gigantic turnip and can weigh as much as 30 kg. (Incidentally, small red radishes were called “20-day daikon” until recently, although these days the imported word radisshu is used more often.)
The most common use for daikon is so ubiquitous that it’s hardly thought of as cooking: daikon oroshi (raw grated).
Daikon oroshi is used as a condiment in many meat and fish dishes, as well as a refreshing addition to tempura sauce (tentsuyu) and soba noodle sauce.
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The most common use for daikon is so ubiquitous that it’s hardly thought of as cooking: daikon oroshi (raw grated). Daikon oroshi is used as a condiment in many meat and fish dishes, as well as a refreshing addition to tempura sauce (tentsuyu) and soba noodle sauce.
It was thought to aid digestion.
It turns out that this belief was right. Daikon is an excellent source of the digestive enzymes diastase, amylase and esterase.
These enzymes become much easier to absorb when the daikon is grated.
Grated daikon is good with a rich, oily fish — like mackerel — but it’s also great on steaks, hamburgers and other meat dishes. It’s similar to horseradish, but less pungent.
Though the digestive enzymes as well as the vitamin C in daikon are destroyed by heat, when cooked it can still aid digestion because of its fiber content.
This is one reason why the vegetable is essential to oden, the stew made up mostly of fried fish-paste products. Of course, simmered daikon is delicious since it absorbs the flavours of the broth and becomes sweet and tender.
It is also believed to warm the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine theories.
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Dried daikon strips, known as kiriboshi daikon, which are rehydrated before cooking, and pickled daikon were also important staples, especially during the winter months.
The most famous type of pickle is the takuan, which takes months to make and is thought to have been invented by the Zen Buddhist monk Takuan Soho.
In recent years there has been a renewed interest in daikon as a healthy food.
One recent fad is to mix grated daikon with plain yogurt and honey, a concoction that keeps you regular.
Buri (amberjack) daikon is a classic simmered dish eaten during winter, which makes good use of the seasonal, oil-rich fish.
The dish is usually made with the ara (the head and bones left over after the fish is filleted) .