Daikon

Daikon, also known as white radish, Japanese radish, Chinese radish, winter radish, and luobo, Oriental radish,  mooli, or Satsuma radish. Daikon is Japanese for “big root.” The vegetable resembles a large white plump carrot and is commonly eaten raw, cooked, or pickled.

Daikon is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean regions and eventually spread to Asian countries like Japan, China and Korea, where it is a common ingredient. It is easily distinguished from other radishes by its large, vibrant green leaves and a long white root. Daikon can grow up to 18 inches long, and weigh 1 to 4 pounds.

It’s cultivated around the world as a food for people and livestock, as well as for its seed oil, which is used in the cosmetic industry. Farmers also plant it as a cover crop to improve soil health and increase crop yield.

Daikon is considered a winter radish, which is slower growing and larger than spring radishes. Winter radishes are sown in mid to late summer and harvested during cooler weather. Even so, daikon radishes are available year-round in most markets.

Though most commonly white with leafy green tops, daikon radishes come in a variety of hues, including red, green, and purple. They grow in three shapes -cylindrical, oblong, and spherical.

Here are some interesting varieties of daikon:

• Miyashige White. This daikon is white and has a cylindrical root that grows 16–18 inches long. It has a crisp texture and mild flavor.
• KN-Bravo. KN-Bravo is a beautiful daikon variety that has purple skin and light purple to white flesh. The roots can grow up to 6 inches long and have a slightly sweet flavor.
• Alpine. The Alpine daikon has short roots that grow 5–6 inches long. This variety is a popular choice to make kimchi,  a fermented vegetable dish, and has a sweeter taste than longer daikon varieties.
• Watermelon radish. This daikon variety has pale, greenish skin, and has bright pink flesh when cut open. It’s spherical and slightly sweet and peppery.
• Japanese Minowase. Minowase daikon is amongst the largest varieties, with roots growing up to 24 inches long. They’re white and have a sweet flavor and crunchy texture.
• Shunkyo. This cylindrical variety has red skin and white flesh. It grows 4–5 inches long and is known for its fiery yet sweet flavor and pink-stemmed leaves.

Daikon is a very-low-calorie vegetable. One 7-inch  daikon weighing 12 ounces has the following nutrients:

• Calories: 61
• Carbs: 14 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Fiber: 5 grams
• Vitamin C: 124% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Folate (B9): 24% of the DV
• Calcium: 9% of the DV
• Magnesium: 14% of the DV
• Potassium: 22% of the DV
• Copper: 19% of the DV

Daikon is an excellent source of various nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and copper. It is highest in vitamin C and folate.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient that’s essential to health and needed for many bodily functions, including immune system function and tissue growth and repair. Vitamin C also protects your body’s cells from oxidative damage.

Daikon is also rich in folate, a B vitamin that’s involved in cellular growth, red blood cell production, and DNA synthesis. Foods rich in folate are particularly important during pregnancy, as this nutrient plays an integral role in the growth and development of the baby.

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.

Daikon’s leaves have impressive nutritional value, too. They are loaded with vitamin A, which is essential for eye health, and vitamin C, iron and calcium.

Daikon may help:

• 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.
• Assisting in detoxification – As a diuretic, daikon may help stimulate urination, which is necessary for keeping the kidneys clean.
• Bolstering your immunity – Daikon’s antibacterial and antifungal properties may help reduce the risk of bone or joint infections, gastroenteritis, meningitis and pneumonia.
• 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 odors.
• Helping with weight management – Daikon is a low-calorie and low-cholesterol vegetable, but it is high in fiber and many other nutrients.

How to Buy

If you can’t find daikon in your local grocery store, try an Asian market. The radish is in season in the winter and is available at some farmers markets and CSAs. The vegetable is often sold loose by the pound and available year-round in stores.

Depending on the variety, white radishes can range in length from about 6 inches to as long as an arm. Some are rounder than others. Regardless of the variety, look for daikon that is firm with tight skin, heavy for its size, and free of cuts and dark or soft spots.

How to Store

If your daikon has the leaves still attached, remove them and store separately. The unwashed root will keep for one or two weeks wrapped in a tea towel in the refrigerator. 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 Cook

Daikon can be served raw or cooked. It is often peeled before use, but the skin is edible and peeling is optional. Daikon can be thinly sliced for a garnish or pickling, diced for cooking, or grated for pickling or used in baked goods and savory dishes. The greens can also be eaten raw in salads or added to soups and other hot dishes, and the sprouts, or kaiware, are used raw in dishes like Japanese green salads and vegetable sushi.

Raw daikon radish has a sweet and lightly spicy flavor, and it tends to be milder than a peppery red radish. The level of spice can depend on the variety of white radish, with some having a stronger flavor. The flesh is very crunchy and juicy. Cooked, daikon tastes mellow and sweet and becomes tender, similar to a cooked turnip. The greens are very peppery with a pungent flavor that mellows slightly when cooked.