I've been explaining daikon as "it's like a radish..." for almost two years now at the Restaurant when guests ask about it on the menu. In fact it absolutely is a radish, known as white icicle radish, oriental radish, or daikon meaning "large root" in Japanese. It is often pickled for use as a condiment, and is rumored to help digest starches and fats, which is why they are commonly served with tempura dishes. The flavor is more mild and sweeter than the small radishes we're familiar with, so I chose to use it julienned with carrots in a salad of romaine lettuce and sprinkled crushed peanuts. Topped with a traditional "vinaigrette", this root added a wonderfully crisp and juicy crunch to my greens!
Amazu Dressing:
1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup water, and 1.5 tbs sugar. Warm to dissolve sugar, then cool in fridge
HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:
+ 1/2 cup, raw, has only 18 calories...it's basically half water and half fiber
+ provides 25% of your daily vitamin C needs!
+ 0g sugar, 0.5g protein, 1g dietary fiber
+ a bit of vitamin B, folate, iron, potassium, and copper
+ provides active enzymes (when raw only!) that aid in digestion
not quite as nutrient-packed as chard, but for almost no calories adds a fantastic amount of vitamin C to your salad or stir-fry!
FUN FACTS:
+ another variety of daikon radish, Sakurajima-daikon, can grow up to 2 feet wide and weight up to 100 pounds!
+ juice of daikon is sold both as a digestive aid and as an anti-carcinogen
+ the top part of the root (near the leaves) is sweetest, so best for eating raw; the bottom half tastes better when stir-fried to reduce the bitter flavor
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