Raw Daikon Radish Recipe - Easy!

In this easy raw daikon radish recipe, you marinate in salt to transform the flavor and consistency of the raw daikon radish.

Daikon

A daikon radish is a large, white, carrot-shaped radish, often about 12 inches long and up to two inches thick at the wide end. You will find it sometimes in a bunch with greens on top, and sometimes already cut into six-inch chunks.

It is common in Japanese cuisine, macrobiotic cooking, and Asian medicine. As a cruciferous vegetable, it has potential health benefits related to detoxification.

In Japan, it is often grated and used as a condiment.

The taste is stronger than that of a red radish. Marinating (see box) or cooking (see below) removes any bitterness.

Raw Daikon Radish Recipe

  • Cut off the ends of the radish.

  • Peel it like a carrot, with a vegetable peeler.

  • Slice into pennies.

  • Layer the pennies onto a ceramic plate or container.

  • Salt each layer heavily, preferably with unrefined salt.

  • Let sit for at least half an hour.

After several hours, the taste will be very mild yet unique. The pennies will be soft and watery.

ADD ZUCCHINI

Add salted slices of fresh raw zucchini. The zucchini / daikon taste combination is spectacular.

Layer salted daikon slices on top of larger salted zucchini slices. For appetizers, fix with a decorative toothpick.

Cooking

  • Steam chunks of peeled daikon: a mild taste delightful with brown rice

  • Stir fry pennies of peeled daikon, perhaps with the bok choy stir fry

  • Sauté pennies of peeled daikon