Daikon / White Radish

Also known asMooli · Japanese Radish · Lo Bak · Chinese Radish · Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus · 白萝卜 · 萝卜

Name: Daikon, also called white radish, mooli or Oriental radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) — a large, long, white root with crisp, juicy flesh and a mild, peppery, slightly sweet flavour. A separate Root Vegetables page covers the same root.

Description

Daikon is native to East Asia and has been grown in China, Japan and Korea for thousands of years. The Japanese name daikon means “large root,” and the vegetable is a staple of Japanese, Chinese and Korean cooking. In India it is called mooli and eaten in parathas and salads.

Daikon is much milder than small red radishes. It is eaten raw, grated, pickled, simmered and stewed. Grated daikon is served alongside tempura and grilled fish in Japan, to help cut richness and aid digestion, and in Korea it is fermented in kimchi (kkakdugi).

Main nutrition value

Daikon is low in calories and provides vitamin C, folate, potassium and fibre, along with digestive enzymes such as amylase.

How best to be consumed

Daikon is used raw, pickled and cooked.

1. Grate and serve with grilled fish, tempura or noodles, as in Japan.
2. Slice thinly into salads, or pickle in vinegar and sugar.
3. Simmer in soups, stews and braises, where it turns soft, sweet and absorbs the broth.
4. Ferment into kimchi, as in Korean kkakdugi.
5. Peel the skin if tough, and store in the fridge wrapped.

Overconsumption could cause…

Daikon is safe in food amounts.

1. Bloating and gas, since cruciferous vegetables contain raffinose and other fermentable carbohydrates.
2. Possible effects on thyroid function in people with an underactive thyroid or iodine deficiency if very large amounts are eaten raw, since brassicas contain goitrogens; normal cooked servings are fine.
3. Stomach irritation from large amounts of raw radish in some people.
4. A lot of salt and sugar if eaten mostly as pickled daikon.

GroupsCruciferous VegetablesRoot VegetablesCruciferous (cabbage family)Low fatLow sodiumRich in vitamin CJapaneseFresh

Related foodsRadishKohlrabiTurnipBlack RadishHorseradishRutabaga / Swede

Wikipedia — Daikon, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daikon