Serves 4 as a side
Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time: 10 minutes; Total time: 25 minutes

Compared to other radishes, Japanese daikon radishes have a milder taste, without the spicy element associated with smaller Western varieties. When eaten raw, they’re slightly sweet yet peppery, with a crisp and watery texture. When cooked, they mellow and become sweeter, similar to cooked turnips. Daikon can also soak up a lot of flavor, making it the perfect canvas for dishes with rich sauces. Low in calories, daikon is high in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. Many Asian recipes use daikon, but often, you are left with half a radish sitting in your refrigerator; this recipe can use up a lot of daikon at once.

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Daikon Radish “Steaks”

Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: appetizer, Side
Servings: 14

Ingredients

  • 1 pound daikon radishes (purple or white)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other high-temp oil)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Scallions or chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Sauce

  • 1 teaspoon kombu dashi powder or mushroom powder
  • 1 tablespoon sake
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 teaspoon cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon white miso paste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions

  • Peel the thick skin of the daikon radish to remove the fibrous portion that runs vertically near the skin and becomes stringy when cooked. It will depend on each daikon, but peeling off 1/4 inch of skin is usually recommended. Cut the daikon into 1 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut a shallow crisscross pattern on both sides of the slices.
  • Add salt to a pot of water and bring to a boil, then add the daikon slices and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain the daikon and pat dry.
  • Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  • In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil and butter on medium heat. Fry both sides of the daikon slices until they are a nice brown color. It will take a couple of minutes for each side.
  • When both sides have browned, pour the sauce onto the daikon. Flip the daikon 2–3 times to cover both sides in the sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce is reduced, about 4 minutes. When sauce is almost gone remove from heat.
  • Place daikon radish steaks (or coins, if using small-diameter radishes) on a plate and garnish with scallions or chives. Serve as a side or appetizer.

*Sourcing note: La Montañita Co-op carries locally grown daikon radishes at all their locations.