A Daikon How-To Guide
HOW-TO: Shop for Daikon
Daikon is fairly common in Asian and general supermarkets. There are also quite a few Farmer’s Markets that sell Daikon as well, so if you can buy from your local Farmer’s Markets, please do so. All Daikon pictured in this blog post, if not otherwise noted, are from Yao Cheng Farms, a part of Food Roots’ network of farmers of colors. Shopping at local Farmers’ Markets is a great way to ensure that your produce is fresh and grown with local and sustainable practices. Daikon is in peak season during the winter, but it is also available year-round in stores and with Food Roots’ network of Farmers of Color.
When shopping for Daikon, look for:
Long and slender radishes
Smooth, shiny white skin
Fresh, green leaves
Avoid Daikon with divided roots
HOW-TO: Wash and Prep Daikon
You bought a beautiful bundle of locally-sourced Daikon. Now what? It’s time to prepare it! If you’re not using the Daikon immediately, take a look at our “How-To: Store Daikon” section below. We don’t recommend cutting up the Daikon in advance since it can impart a strong odor in your fridge.
First, you need to trim the Daikon stem and root ends. If your Daikon comes with leaves, it’s your lucky day! Daikon leaves are completely edible and are a delicious addition to soups, salads, and pickled greens. Cut off the leaves and store them separately. The leaves will keep for up to three days.
The Daikon purchased from Yao Cheng Farms arrived with the leafy greens already cut off and perfect to store in the fridge.
To prepare raw Daikon for use, cut off the leafy green top. You can wash the Daikon under the sink and give it a good scrub, but it is also perfectly fine to use a vegetable peeler to shave the outside. Discard the excess shavings.
HOW-TO: Cut Daikon
Daikon is a versatile vegetable that can be used for a variety of cooking styles. Here are some ways you can cut Daikon, depending on how you plan to eat it:
Cut into rounds - good for braising
Julienne (Matchsticks) - good for salads and pickling
Shred on mandolin - good for salads and pickling
Dice - good for fermenting and pickling
Grate - good for sauces and topping on noodles
Shave rounds on mandolin - good for salads
HOW-TO: Cook Daikon
Pickled
Grated
Stewed
Braised
Fried/Sautéed
Fermented
Blended:
Adding Daikon to any smoothie recipe is a great way to add Vitamin C without changing the flavor!
HOW-TO: Store Daikon
Refrigerate unwashed Daikon in a plastic bag for up to 3 days. The unwashed root will keep for one or two weeks wrapped in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
If your daikon has the leaves still attached, remove them and store separately. The leaves will keep for up to three days.
Cut, raw Daikon keeps well but may impart a strong odor that can be absorbed by other ingredients inside your refrigerator. Blanched Daikon can be frozen for up to a month, and cooked daikon will keep for a few days in an airtight container. Pickled Daikon will keep for three weeks or more.
HOW-TO: Regrow Daikon
According to SFGate, radishes may be tough to grow from cuttings. If you cut the top off of a radish and place it in water, it will likely produce more greens but not regrow the bulb. Cutting off the root end tip and planting it in moist, fertile soil might result in a radish plant. The best option is to grow new radishes from seeds, which sprout in three or four days.
HOW-TO: Share your love for Daikon!
You are now well acquainted with Daikon and the yummy ways to eat it! Take pictures of the masterpieces you make with Daikon, or if you spot Daikon when you go eat out! Do you ever see Daikon in your local Farmer’s Market? We’d love to see how you are using or where you find Daikon!
Share your photos by tagging us @foodrootsla on Instagram and Facebook. Make sure to include the hashtag #LocalDaikon.