This long, tapered, white radish is the most common (in the U.S.) of many Oriental radishes, which come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Other names include icicle radish, Oriental radish or Chinese radish.

In Japanese, “daikon” means large root – and indeed this radish, which resembles a long white carrot, can grow more than 3 feet in length and 1 foot across, weighing up to 100 pounds! Generally, they’re harvested at just 1 to 5 pounds and less than 1 foot in length.

Both the European red radish and the numerous Oriental radishes developed from the dark-skinned Egyptian ancestor. They reached Japan by way of China more than 2,000 years ago. Today it is the most widely cultivated vegetable on the Japanese islands, where it symbolizes fertility, health and well-being. Each December, daikon festivals are held in many cities, the largest in Kyoto.

Daikon is so common that it adds spice to almost every Japanese meal: cooked, raw in salads, pickled or dried. In the winter, pickled or dried and reconstituted daikon dishes ensure a source of vitamin C. That mound of juicy white stuff served with sushi or tempura? It’s grated daikon.

Daikon is also important in the cuisines of Korea, China, Vietnam and India. Oriental cooks use the entire plant – the leaves as well as the root.

The pearly white radish is low in calories (18 per 3-ounce serving) and is used in Asia as a weight-loss remedy because it is said to increase the body’s metabolism. It also aids digestion; phytochemicals in daikon include the digestive enzymes diastase, amylase and esterase.

This is why it is often served as a condiment or garnish with meats, fish, and fried or starchy foods. Other phytochemicals have decongestant and diuretic properties, so it is used as a decongestant and to cleanse the kidneys.

There are many claims about daikon’s health benefits. These include increased energy, cleansing the blood and boosting circulation, as well as anti-carcinogenic properties. It is part of numerous home remedies, used to treat everything from hangovers to edema, sore throats and colds.

The white radish is a rich source of vitamin C – just one serving provides one-third of the recommended daily allowance for this vitamin. This may be why regular use is said to prevent respiratory infections, including colds and flu.

Crisp and juicy, sweet, sharp and slightly spicy, daikon is a bit sweeter than the more common European red radishes. The flavor is somewhere between that of a radish and a cabbage. It is versatile, and is great in stir-fries and other cooked dishes as well as in slaws and salads.

The flavor varies. The thicker area near the top is sweeter, and thus best for grating into salads. Thin strips or chips can be cut for use on relish trays or to serve with your favorite yogurt dip. Using a vegetable peeler, make thin chips, then dip in ice water to crisp and curl. Or simply slice julienne. Finely grated raw daikon is sprinkled with soy sauce and spooned as a garnish over fish, meat or fried foods.

Closer to the bottom of the root, the taste is sharper and more pungent. This is the part that is cooked or pickled. Cooking mellows the taste, making it sweeter, and the flesh becomes translucent. It is often used this way for stir-fries and winter stews. A little rice bran or water from rinsing rice keeps the daikon white while cooking and mellows its bitterness and sharpness.

It is an easy, prolific vegetable to grow in the deep, loose, moist, fertile soil of home gardens, although its bigger size means that it needs more space and a slightly longer growing season than the European red globe radish. If you grow your own, you can use the leaves, which are often removed by the grocer before daikons reach the supermarket shelf. The leaves are rich in vitamins A and C, calcium and iron and are delicious in salads, soups, stews and stir-fries.

A cool-weather crop, daikon bolts when temperatures rise and is often planted in the fall. The cooler fall weather mellows its flavor, which becomes sweeter and loses some of its sharpness.

With modern agriculture, daikon is available all year long, primarily from California and Texas. They’re often sold in bunches of 1 to 4 roots, depending on size. Look for roots that are fresh, bright white, hard and moist, without cracks, wrinkles, bruises or other blemishes.

They should be firm, crisp and heavy for their size. Avoid oversized, pithy or withered daikon; it will have a hot, pungent flavor.

Oriental radishes store better than their small, red cousins and will keep for four to six months in a cool root cellar. This is one of the characteristics that made daikon so popular before modern refrigeration. Traditionally, one-third of the crop was stored in a root cellar, and the remainder was pickled or dried. To store, place daikon in a cool place in a sealed container or in plastic to maintain the humidity and keep it from drying out.

To use, rinse under running water; it is not necessary to peel it.

Cut up daikon should be juicy and crisp, like an apple.

Spinach Salad with Daikon

Ingredients:

1/2 pound fresh spinach

Several daikon radishes (about 6 ounces)

1 medium carrot OR 1 red bell pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 cup croutons, for garnish

2 Tablespoons crumbled feta, for garnish

Directions:

Wash the spinach, drain, and place in salad bowl. It should have a little water still clinging to the leaves. Wash the daikon radishes, cut off the ends and leaves. (You can cook the leaves as you would turnip greens.) Wash the pepper, cut in half, and remove seeds. Wash the carrot, and remove ends.

Shred daikon and carrot into salad bowl with spinach. Sprinkle with salt, and toss well to combine. Fold in yogurt. Slice pepper into strips, and stir in. Garnish with croutons and feta. Serve cold, fresh as a salad with supper. To make into a main dish lunch for 2, add 2 chopped, hard-cooked eggs, add a little more feta, and serve with fresh bread or French baguette.

Oriental Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon cooking oil

1/2 pound boneless chicken, sliced thin

1 cup daikon radish, sliced julienne

1/3 cup thinly sliced carrot

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup minced onion (about 1 large)

2 cups chopped or shredded greens (daikon tops, kale, Oriental cabbage or mustard, etc.)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

Heat oil. Add chicken and stir-fry 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat. Add daikon, and stir-fry 3-4 minutes. Add carrot, and stir-fry 2-3 minutes more. Add mushrooms and onion, and cook about 5 minutes. Add greens and garlic, sprinkle with soy sauce, lower heat, cover, and cook 7-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked through. Serve over grain such as millet or rice. Serves 2-3.

Daikon, Carrot and Grain Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked millet or rice

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1 cup shredded Daikon radish

1 cup finely chopped arugula leaves

1 Tablespoon Teriyaki sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1/2 cup walnuts, for garnish

Directions:

Cook millet or rice; set aside to cool. (You can use leftover cooked grain for this dish.) Prepare vegetables and place in bowl. In small bowl or jar, combine Teriyaki and soy sauce, olive oil and lime juice; shake or stir well. Pour over vegetables, and toss. Place 1/2 cup cooked grain in each of 4 salad bowls. Divide veggies evenly among the 4 salad bowls, and top each with 1-2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts, if desired.

Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at yvona_f@yahoo.com.