Right now in Akita Prefecture where I live, the first snow is falling. It is the season to tuck into a number of Japanese winter foods, like daikon. Although this Japanese radish is eaten all year round, it is at its peak of flavour, known as “shun”, during the cold.
Daikon may be a common ingredient but it is delicious and has many health benefits! It contains vitamin C that’s good for your immune system, especially in Japan in chillier weather. Raw, fresh daikon also has three types of enzymes that help your body digest starch, protein and fat better.
No wonder daikon oroshi, or grated daikon, makes a wonderful side dish with heavier, oilier and protein-rich meals. It helps to cut through the richness of dishes such as tonkatsu (breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet), grilled meat like steak, and tempura. Daikon also tastes good in miso soup or in an aemono (dressed salad).
Different parts of the daikon are used in varied ways: The top near the leaves is sweetest and best used raw, like in daikon oroshi. The middle is sweet and used in stews and simmered dishes. The bottom is spiciest and best for hotter daikon oroshi or strongly flavoured dishes.
When making the first recipe, daikon oroshi, always use the freshest daikon you can find—these will have a smooth and shiny exterior. If you can, use a purpose-built daikon oroshi grater, which you can find at Japanese supermarkets. The resulting texture will be finer and more “snow-like”. Once grated, please eat it as soon as possible for the nutritious value. It’s best to prepare daikon oroshi right before you eat.
The Japanese-style sautéed chicken recipe uses shiso (perilla) leaf and umeboshi (pickled plum). Their sour flavour is very Japanese in style and will whet your appetite. The last recipe uses a Japanese vegetable called komatsuna in a simple cooking method. This green leafy vegetable is used frequently in Japan and I hope it will be a unique taste for you too in Singapore!
(Text DENYSE YEO / Recipes COCOPELLI)