Daikon

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iDaikon

Image:Daikon.Japan.jpg

A pile of daikon radishes.

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Brassicales
Family:	Brassicaceae
Genus:	Raphanus
Species:	R. sativus

Binomial name

Raphanus sativus
L.

Daikon (Japanese: 大根, literally "large root"; Traditional Chinese: 白蘿蔔, literally "white carrot"; Korean: 무 mu, literally "radish"), is a mild-flavored East Asian giant white radish. Other names are daikon radish, Japanese or Chinese radish, winter radish, and mooli. Although there are many varieties of daikon, the most common in Japan, the Aokubi Daikon, has the shape of a giant carrot, approximately 8 to 14 inches (200 to 350 mm) long and 2 to 4 inches (50 to 100 mm) in diameter. One of the most unlikely shaped daikon is Sakurajima daikon from Kagoshima Prefecture that is shaped like an oversized turnip with white outside and bright pink inside.

Daikon is an essential part of Japanese cuisine. It may be simmered and served alone or in nabe or oden. Daikon is also commonly grated, and served either as a garnish or as an accent in soups such as miso soup. It also accompanies tempura, for mixing into the sauce. With soy sauce it is served with Japanese-style hamburgers. It is used to make takuan, a kind of fermented pickle used in sushi and as a garnish for white rice.

Shredded and dried daikon is called kiriboshi daikon (切干大根), literally cut-and-dried daikon. Pickled whole daikon is also called takuan, and often has a bright yellow color. It is claimed, but not historically supported, that a Buddhist monk called Takuan Sōhō first made this pickled daikon to preserve vegetables for the long winter.

Fresh leaves of daikon can also be eaten as a leaf vegetable but they are often removed when sold in a store because they do not adjust well to the refrigerator, yellowing quite easily. Daikon sprouts, known as kaiware, are a popular garnish for salads and sushi.

Daikon is likewise a very important ingredient in Chinese and Korean cuisines. In China, it is used in different dishes like poon choi. Chinese people use daikon to make Mooli Cake in the Chinese New Year or for Dim sum. The cake is cooked either by frying or steaming. Daikon is often cooked with meat and shitake mushrooms in China, as a simple family dish. Daikon is often added to fishball curry, along with pig skin. In Korea, it is often pickled, and used in kimchi.

Nutrition Information – Daikon is very low in food energy. A 3 ounce (85 g) serving contains only 18 calories (75 kJ) and provides 34 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. Rich in vitamin C, daikon contains active enzymes that aid digestion, particularly of starchy foods.